Safety For Researchers

Introduction

Stanford's commitment to providing a safe environment for everyone creates particular requirements for PIs in research laboratories. Labs at Stanford house chemicals, equipment, and other materials that can pose hazards to health. The proper management of these hazards is not only good lab management, it is also a regulatory requirement.

Emergency Contacts

Emergency Fire, Police, Medical Aid

• 911 from your cell phone
• 9-911 from a campus phone

Hazardous Materials Incident (urgent reporting, not emergency)

• (650) 725-9999

School of Medicine Security (urgent reporting, not emergency)

• (650) 723-7222 from your cell phone
• 286 from a campus phone

Other Emergency Information Hotlines

• The main information line for the University is (650) 725-5555.
• The Out of Area information line can be reached at (844) 253-7878.
• From abroad, call 01-602-241-6769.
• The Stanford Health Care information line is (650) 498-8888.
• The Stanford Linear Accelerator information line is (877) 447-7522.
• You can also check the Stanford Emergency Information website 

Environmental Health & Safety

The Department of Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) is the principal health and safety office at Stanford University. The mission of EH&S is to support and advance the teaching, learning and research activities at Stanford by promoting a safe and healthy campus environment. They provide and coordinate programs and services that minimize safety, health, environmental, and regulatory risks in a manner consistent with fiscal and environmental stewardship.

EH&S works closely with the University Safety Partners, the faculty and managers in the research community and operational units, safety coordinators and safety committees, and departmental and central administrators. The University Committee on Health & Safety, a faculty committee that reports to the President of the university, provides institutional oversight and recommendations for program development and improvements. If you need help or information about health and safety, call EH&S at (650) 723-0448.

Some schools provide additional information about safety in their facilities, the school's emergency preparedness program, and strategies for regulatory compliance. Check your school’s website or contact your school’s health and safety contact for specific guidance.

University Safety Partners

University Safety Partners (USPs) share in the EH&S mission to support Stanford. USPs are a group of appointed representatives who are responsible for the administration of the university’s health and safety program within their respective school or operational units. 

Each school has a USP to ensure a safe learning and working environment. They can guide you in laboratory and office safety, your school’s emergency preparedness program, strategies for regulatory compliance, and resources to help you work more safely.

In addition to the broader USP program, the USP Executive Safety Advisory Committee provides stakeholder input on the development and delivery of emerging or existing programs and services administered by Stanford’s Department of Environmental Health & Safety. 

Training

EH&S Health & Safety Training

All applicable safety training should be completed before an individual is allowed to work unsupervised in a Stanford laboratory. Training in Stanford labs is broken down into three tiers: Tier I is broadly applicable to most researchers; Tier II is applicable to researchers who work with a specific subset of hazards; Tier III is lab-specific training. PIs or the lab supervisor must provide Tier III health and safety training on hazards specific to the job site, equipment used, experimental procedures, etc. 

EH&S provides the following resources to help PIs design safety training: 

• EH&S Safety Training Courses 
• An overview of training requirements for chemical safety 
• An overview of training requirements for biological safety 
• An overview of Laboratory Specific Training, which includes links to checklists and other information on how PIs can develop trainings for their labs
• PIs may contact EH&S for assistance in developing and reviewing their local Tier III training 
• For general workplace safety questions, please contact the Occupational Safety and Health group at (650) 723-0448

Vigilance in the lab requires ongoing communication and the prompt reporting of problems. PIs play a key role in ensuring staff members properly identify and complete safety training, and understand how and when to respond to and report potential incidents or exposures.

Administrative Panels

EH&S helps oversee and participates in two Administrative Panels at Stanford. In addition to general safety requirements, these panels cover two particular research areas that require special review and approval. If your research involves any of the following, your protocol must be reviewed and approved in advance by the appropriate administrative panel:

• Administrative Panel on Biosafety (APB)
  • Recombinant DNA or synthetic nucleic acid molecules
  • Infectious or biohazardous agents
• Administrative Panel on Radiological Safety
  • Radioactive isotopes
  • Ionizing, ultraviolet laser, and/or microwave radiation

Faculty working with biohazardous agents and/or recombinant DNA or synthetic nucleic acid molecules should be familiar with the Administrative Panel on Biosafety. Those working with radiation or lasers should contact the Radiation Safety Office (650-723-3201) and review the Health Physics information on the EH&S website.