Adherence to safety protocols in academic research laboratories has been historically lax compared to their industrial counterparts. Due to this imbalance and recent highly publicized accidents at research institutions, many departments have implemented more stringent safety requirements and training. An additional measure for the enhancement of safety in academic research laboratories is the implementation of student based safety committees. The creation of these committees engages students at the departmental level where they can have an opportunity to focus on the safety of the department as a whole rather than just the individual. This presentation will focus on the establishment of a student safety committee in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Utah State University and activities employed by the committee to involve students in creating an environment of safety mindedness.

Enhancing safety in academic research laboratories: Creating a student based safety committee

248th National Meeting (2014)

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