Accidents in academic laboratories can be tragic and devastating. Several high profile accidents took place recently which has refocused attention on the issues of academic laboratory safety. My investigation examined three academic laboratory accidents and the changes that came about as a result of the accidents and their impact on safety culture at each university. Regulatory structures supposed to oversee university laboratories and their precautionary effectiveness were also assessed.Interviews with stakeholders who have key roles in minimizing laboratory risks were conducted at each institution where laboratory accidents have occurred to determine whether changes made by the institutions are sufficient to prevent future accidents, why more fundamental changes are avoided and address what makes changes lasting and sustainable.The investigation sought to answer these questions: What were the institutional responses to these laboratory accidents? Did they stimulate a healthy safety culture at the school? Do existing regulations abet these improvements?

Impact of laboratory accidents on chemical health and safety policies and safety culture at academic institutions

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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