This document establishes policies, procedures, and guidelines necessary to comply with regulatory standards as well as provide a safe environment for employees, students and visitors.
You can find the document’s latest version here
First Aid and Medical Follow-Up Policy
All accidents requiring first aid must be reported (Student Accident Reporting Form) as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours. Immediate professional medical follow-up is required if there is exposure to any mucus membranes (eyes, nose, mouth), if the SDS indicates medical follow up is necessary, and/or if the injured person is unsure of what they may have been exposed to (e.g. a person gets exposed to something from a bottle with a faded label while clearing out old items from a fridge). When the chemical/biological agent is known, it is critical for the exposed person to take the SDS for the material with them when seeking medical attention. Campus Safety will transport to Schacht Health Services or Cooley Dickinson ER as appropriate.
Working Alone and Lab Buddy Procedure for Students (as added in the new CHP):
Regardless of the time or day of the week, students may only work alone with the permission of their faculty supervisor AND if one of the following conditions is met:
- There is a lab buddy* within voice range. This person may be in the same or an adjoining lab that is interconnected through a secondary exit door but must be aware they are serving in the capacity of a lab buddy*. They may also sit directly outside the main lab door.
- The faculty supervisor (or another nearby faculty/staff) is in or near their office or the workspace being used the entire time and aware that the student is working.
- The student has made arrangements for a continual Zoom call with a lab buddy* the entire time they are working in the lab that listens for any sound of distress, then calls Campus Safety. While we encourage both audio and video streaming, audio-only is acceptable.
*a lab buddy is any member of the Smith community (student/faculty/staff) that serves as a voice contact for the research student to call in case of an emergency. They can be both in person as someone in an adjoining lab or virtual through a continuous Zoom call. If your lab buddy is virtual, they MUST know your location AND to call (413)-585-5555 (ext. x5555 from a Smith landline) if there is an emergency.
Note: Students who are solely performing work on computers not in the same room as hazardous materials or processes are exempt from these restrictions.