Laboratory workers are routinely exposed to hazardous chemicals. Many accidents and injuries occur annually in labs, resulting in chemical-related illnesses ranging from skin and eye irritation to fatal pulmonary edema. Environmental Health and Safety works to reduce occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories by providing training to faculty and graduate students, maintaining the university chemical hygiene plan, and helping the university to maintain compliance with multiple regulations enforced by Oregon OSHA.
All laboratories within Portland State University are expected to maintain certain standards for the safety of laboratory personnel, the environment, and contractors or vendors. These safety regulations and standards can be found in but not limited to:
Please consult the Lab Staff Orientation & Laboratory Setup Worksheet for guidance on how to:
- properly setup and/or relocate your lab,
- onboard graduate students or other lab personnel,
- obtain proper training from EHS or other campus entities,
- provide lab-specific training,
- respond to an incident