Although classes are out and things around campus may be a bit more relaxed, it is always a good time to brush up on our lab safety! This month we hope you will join us in congratulating Dr. Hannah Shafaat and her lab for being recognized as a paragon of lab safety. John Herrington, our Department Chemical Safety Coordinator, has said that during his monthly PPE rounds, Dr. Shafaat’s lab has been in compliance with lab safety procedures almost 100% of the time for the last 14 months! This includes basic items such as always wearing eye protection and a lab coat but also extends to Dr. Shafaat’s personal emphasis on lab safety. She has made it a top priority for her students and her frequent presence in the lab means she is there to observe day to day tasks.

What can we do to make sure all of our labs are as safe as possible? John Herrington says that it is always important to remember the basic rules we learned during our first day in the lab: wear proper protection, no eating or drinking, and make sure to know the locations of fire extinguishers, fire blankets, safety showers, eye wash devices, and first aid kits. On top of that it is important to remember the specific training and guidelines your lab must be compliant with. For example, labs handling certain biological agents will have different safety procedures than those working with radiation under the Ohio Radiation Safety Requirements. It is always a good idea to know your specific hazard and make sure we all work together to make lab safety a top priority!

Pictured: Dr. Hannah Shafaat and Anastasia Manesis