Dangers

Most hazards encountered fall into three main categories: chemical, biological, or physical. Cleaning agents and disinfectants, drugs, anesthetic gases, solvents, paints, and compressed gases are examples of chemical hazards. Potential exposures to chemical hazards can occur both during use and with poor storage.We know that running a research lab is a challenge, to say the least. In all the hustle of loading the autosampler, pipetting, pouring, and mixing for research experiments, worker health and safety can be overlooked, inadvertently pushed aside or forgotten—sometimes with dire consequences. Understanding the required Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) programs and recognizing hazards will help you to identify and minimize many of the common safety and health hazards associated with running a research laboratory. This Safety Guys column will assist your navigation of the health and safety maze. We present an overview of the most common hazards encountered in typical research labs. Our hope is that one or more topics might strike a nerve and motivate you to dig deeper to ensure a safe work environment.