Laboratory Safety Services & Tools

Overview

The Laboratory Safety Program addresses chemical, biological, radiological and general safety issues found in laboratories. The program is designed to serve as a resource to the UTSA research and teaching community and assist with regulatory compliance. The program includes policies, procedures, safety guides and information, training, as well as lab evaluations, fume hood checks, safety reviews for research protocols (IBC, CSC, IACUC, Radiation & Laser Safety Committee, DOD Grants), and assistance with selection of personal protective equipment (PPE). More information on these programs can be found by selecting program links.

Laboratory Evaluations at UTSA

Laboratory evaluations are carried out by the Laboratory Safety Division. The frequency of evaluations depends upon the hazard level of the laboratory. Hazard levels are based on the chemical, biological, or radiological agents in the laboratory and/or the procedures carried out in the laboratory. The hazard level is determined by the Laboratory Safety Manager after consultation with the principal investigator (PI) or laboratory manager/supervisor. There are three hazard levels: low, medium and high. Low hazard laboratories are evaluated annually, medium hazard laboratories are evaluated biannually, and high hazard laboratories are evaluated each quarter. The entire evaluation procedure is available in the PIs BioRAFT page. A myUTSA ID (abc123) is needed to access BioRAFT. The checklist will be filled out by the Laboratory Safety Division Personnel at the time of the evaluation. Members lists should be updated prior to the evaluation and whenever changes of personnel occur. Inventories are required to be updated on the PIs page in BioRAFT.

Safety Training

Different courses are required for work in different labs. Please ask your PI or contact the Safety Office at 458-6697 or 458-5807 to find out which courses are required. Laboratory safety training is found in BioRAFT and is assigned once PI updates their hazard profile. After logging in look for the My Training link under the Training tab. The courses assigned to you will be listed and you can click on the course you wish to take. Contact Laboratory Safety Division if you have any further questions.

Lab Consultations

The Laboratory Safety Division is available as needed to help PIs, research personnel, Teaching Assistants (TA) and students with any issues that might arise in the lab. We can offer advice or assistance on a number of areas, including New PI Information, Controlled Substances, Minors in Labs, Laboratory and Equipment Clearance and Waste Disposal.