4.3 Procedural Controls

Procedural controls incorporate best management practices for working in a laboratory. These practices serve not only to protect the health and safety of personnel, but are a common sense way of increasing productivity in a laboratory. Through implementation of good practices, laboratories can expect an increase in the efficient use of valuable lab space, in the reliability of experiments due to less potential contamination, and an increase in the awareness of health and safety issues by laboratory personnel. Following the practices outlined in this Lab Safety Manual should also result in a decrease in the number of accidents, injuries, and spills. This will result in a decrease in the overall liability for the Principal Investigator, laboratory supervisor, and the University. Procedural controls are fundamental to instilling safe work behaviors and helping to create a culture of safety within the laboratory environment.