Upholding safety standards is vital to secure the well-being of one's work, of fellow researchers, and of the surrounding environment. Here at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, we ensure these standards are met through training, monitoring, and maintaining organization.
General Safety
For lab safety, we wore the following at all times while in the lab:
- Safety Goggles
- Fire Resistant Lab Coats
- Closed-toed Shoes
- Latex Gloves
Additionally, there was at least one biowaste bin in every room of the lab where biohazardous materials or disposable materials that came in contact with biohazardous materials were disposed of properly, separate from other waste. Other items that came in contact with biohazardous material were sterilized and reused. In addition, well marked eye-wash and shower stations and fire extinguishers were included in each room. Also, there were MSDS pages as an online resource that included safety precautions for each chemical found in the lab.
Every team member had to receive lab safety training through UNL's Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) services. We took a total of 6 safety modules including a Biosafety Level 1 course before we were allowed to work in the lab. All modules that required a quiz to be taken had to be completed with 80% proficiency. The modules are listed down below.
- EHS#1: Core - Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP) -- The Injury and Illness Prevention Plan module is required for all employees who get a paycheck from UNL. There is a quiz following this module. You must pass with an 80% score to complete the module successfully. This module requires approximately 45 minutes to complete. You will need to provide your NU ID number to register.
EHS#2: Core - Emergency Preparedness Training -- It is recommended that you complete this Emergency Preparedness module AFTER you have taken the Core-Injury Illness and Prevention Plan (IIPP) training module. There is a quiz following this module. This module requires approximately 45 minutes to complete. You will need to provide your NU ID number to register.
EHS#3: Chemical Safety Training (four individual units) --- Unit 1: OSHA Standards, Safety Data Sheets, Labels, and Door Postings
- Unit 2: Physical Hazards of Chemicals
- Unit 3: Health Hazards of Chemicals
- Unit 4: Hazard Mitigation
Must be completed once by anyone whose work or research may bring them into contact with hazardous chemicals. Note: Units 1-4 replace the Chemical Safety training used through July 2012. This module consists of four units. ALL FOUR UNITS must be successfully completed to meet the requirement. There is a quiz following each unit. If your score is less than 80% on any unit, your registration will not be recorded for that unit. Each unit requires approximately 30 minutes to complete.
EHS#4: Fire Extinguisher Training -- Required once for employees who may opt to use a fire extinguisher. The “Core-Emergency Preparedness” training (#2, above) is a pre-requisite to this course. This course may be taken as a stand-alone unit or as the first part of a two-part training session. Once you have completed the web-based training portion, you may participate in a supplementary hands-on training session. Contact Environmental Health & Safety for more information at (402) 472-4925 or ehs@unl.edu. This training may be replaced by an instructor-led session. There is a quiz following the module. This module requires approximately 30 minutes to complete.
EHS#5 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) -- Must be completed once by anyone whose work or research may require use of PPE (for example, gloves, goggles). This training may be replaced by an instructor-led session.
EHS #6 Biosafety Level 1 -- This training is required of all persons who work at Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1) containment, upon initial assignment to work in a BSL-1 laboratory at UNL. There is a quiz following the module. This module requires approximately 30 minutes to complete.
