Safety Training

STUDENT & FACULTY LAB SAFETY TRAINING

Before starting research lab work in the Science Center, everyone (students & faculty) must register and attend one of the general lab safety training sessions offered by the Lab Safety & Compliance Director, Dr. Margaret Rakas. Attendance at least once during your time at Smith is the minimum requirement.

Note: Before the training session, you are allowed to work on project components that do not involve chemicals, biologicals, or instrumentation of any kind. 

If you need to attend a General Safety Training session, follow these instructions:

  • Choose one of the following dates:
    Thursday September 7, @ 12:15 PM (Zoom link)
    Thursday September 21, @ 12:15 PM, (Zoom link)
    Tuesday September 26, @ 7:30 PM, (Zoom link) 
    Wednesday October 11, @ 12:15 PM (Zoom link)
  • Fill out this registration google form (Smith email login required) You will get the passcode to your Zoom link after registering.


Students: What you need to know about your responsibilities

Who has to do what….

  • If only doing course-based research you are exempt from having to attend a general lab safety training session. 
  • If you are a Chemistry Teaching/Prep assistants you must attend the general lab safety training session every semester you are employed and before you can start working. 
  • If you are doing SURF (summer) research you are required to attend an in-depth general lab safety training each summer you have a SURF (or other) award 
  • If you are doing Special Studies, Honors, or simply volunteering to do lab research during the academic year you do have to attend a general lab safety training session before you start your lab work, but you don’t have to attend a session every semester. Attendance at least once during your time at Smith is the minimum requirement.

Student research safety training requirements:

  • General Lab Safety:  Sessions will be led by the Lab Safety and Compliance Director, Dr. M. Rakas, and announced throughout the academic year and SURF period. 
  • Specific Workspace Lab Safety: Your supervisor will go over the specific safety instructions and safety equipment available for your work space. You must have this training session before you use the space. 
  • Specific Subject Safety: If instructed by your supervisor because your research involves radioactive materials, lasers, recombinant DNA, blood-borne or other hazardous pathogens,  you must also attend a specific subject safety training session before starting work.

Research & other types of students are also personally responsible for their own, and their fellow lab mates, safety. This means you must

  • Complete the required safety training mandated by the College and your supervisors.
  • Read and acknowledge provided training documentation
  • Follow the appropriate guidelines when dealing with hazardous materials and processes

 

Faculty: What you need to know about your responsibilities

Principal Investigators and Laboratory Supervisors are legally responsible for

  • the safety of anyone working in their laboratory spaces.
  • the safety of their own students working anywhere else…unless responsibility has been formally transferred to another faculty/staff member

Specifically, this means ensuring all employees, visitors, and students under supervision…

  • Complete the required safety training mandated by the college
  • Be provided with documented training specific to their laboratory space
  • Follow the appropriate guidelines when dealing with hazardous materials and processes

Faculty research safety training requirements:

  • You must attend a general lab safety training session at the beginning of your employment. Consult this page or contact M. Rakas for the session schedule. 
  • You must develop a laboratory safety training protocol for the users of your space. Contact M.Rakas if you need assistance or you need to consult on the matter. 
  • If you work with radioactive materials, Class 3B or 4 lasers, recombinant DNA, blood-borne or other hazardous pathogens you must learn about administrative procedures and attend a specific subject safety training session before starting the work. Contact M.Rakas to schedule.