Laboratory Safety Officers (LSOs)
A Principal Investigator (PI), or Laboratory Supervisor, may designate a Laboratory Safety Officer (LSO) to help improve safety culture and regulatory compliance in the lab. The LSO acts as a safety role model for other lab personnel, and will serve as the liaison between the lab and EHS.
Typical LSO responsibilities
An LSO may be asked by their PI to:
- Orient new lab personnel and ensure all lab members complete the required training
- Update the lab safety notebook
- Conduct or delegate another lab member to complete the monthly self-inspection on SciShield
- Review SOPs with lab personnel and provide education as procedures change
- Report employee or student injuries, exposures, and near-misses
- Ensure engineering controls and work practices are being followed
- Prepare lab for emergency responses (spills, evacuation, etc.)
- Request exposure monitoring when needed
