General Considerations Concerning Safety in Biomedical Research Laboratories

The safe operation of a laboratory that focuses on biomedical research is difficult. No single source of information can provide all the information and guidance necessary to develop an adequate safety program/plan to protect laboratory personnel from various hazards. Most countries and provinces have regulations related to safety precautions that may need to be followed by laboratories. This chapter draws attention to general considerations concerning safety approaches in biomedical research laboratories in the United States. The operation of biomedical research laboratories requires attention to many complex issues that depend on the goals and activities of each specific laboratory. All laboratories should consider issues in physical, electrical, and fire safety. Safety can be maintained with the careful evaluation of all safety incidents and modification of the safety plan to prevent similar incidents. Regulations specify approaches necessary to protect employees from blood-borne pathogens, general laboratory chemicals, and specific chemicals such as formaldehyde. All employees need to work in order to maintain a safe working environment. This requires establishing a safety infrastructure, developing and monitoring of an effective safety plan, and imparting information about safety hazards associated with special types of laboratory work: biohazards, chemical hazards, and radiation hazards.