Environment, Health and Safety

4.7 Working Alone

4.7 Working Alone

Whenever possible, laboratory personnel should avoid working alone when conducting research, especially when experiments involve hazardous substances and procedures. Laboratories should establish specific guidelines and standard operating procedures specifying when working alone is not allowed and develop notification procedures when working alone occurs. All work to be performed by someone working alone, and the monitoring system that is established, must be approved in advance by the Principal Investigator or laboratory supervisor. Check with your DSR to see if your department has specific requirements for working alone.

Safety Measures for Working Alone

If a laboratory person determines it is necessary to work alone, they should take the following precautions:

Notify a Nearby Contact

Before beginning work, notify someone in the area, such as:

  • A colleague in an adjacent room
  • A researcher in another lab on the same floor
  • A contact in a lab on a different floor

Establish a Buddy System & Regular Check-Ins

For tasks involving higher risk, a buddy system should be implemented:

  • The buddy should check in every 15–30 minutes via:
    • In-person visits to the lab
    • Phone or messaging check-ins
  • If the work involves highly hazardous materials, the buddy should not enter the lab but instead use a visual check system to confirm safety.

Use the RAVE Guardian Safety Timer

Cornell provides RAVE Guardian, a mobile safety app that allows users to set a Safety Timer while working alone. This feature:

  • Allows users to set a check-in timer while working alone.
  • Notifies a designated guardian (such as a colleague or supervisor) if the timer expires.
  • Can directly alert Cornell Police in case of an emergency.

Download RAVE Guardian from the App Store or Google Play and ensure it is set up before working alone.

 

Under no circumstances should Cornell Police be used as a substitute for a lab buddy.

  • Cornell Police are not responsible for monitoring lab personnel working alone.
  • Using police instead of a buddy creates a false sense of security and may lead to delayed emergency response.
  • In the event of an incident, responders may not have immediate access to secured lab spaces.

It is the responsibility of the researcher and their supervisor to ensure a proper buddy system is in place when required.

Emergency Procedures

If an emergency arises requiring a buddy to leave before an experiment is completed:

  1. The buddy must notify Cornell Police at 607-255-1111, providing:
    • The name of the researcher
    • The lab location
    • The expected end time of the experiment
  2. The buddy must also notify the researcher.
  3. The researcher should:
    • Safely complete the experiment
    • Notify Cornell Police once the experiment is finished

Security Considerations for Working Alone

For labs that require locked access:

  • Prior arrangements must be made to ensure the buddy can enter the lab if needed.
  • Be aware that Cornell Police and EHS Emergency Responders may not have immediate access to locked labs, which could delay emergency response.
  • If a lab does not have a window or the window is covered, a person working alone may not be discovered until another lab member enters—which could be hours or even days later.

Examples of Permissible Activities When Working Alone

The following activities may be performed alone as long as no hazards are present:

  • Office work (e.g., writing, calculations, computer work, reading)
  • Housekeeping tasks (e.g., general cleaning, reorganization of supplies)
  • Assembly or modification of lab equipment (when no chemical, electrical, or physical hazards are involved)
  • Routine lab functions as part of an approved SOP with demonstrated safety

Examples of Activities Requiring a Buddy System

The following activities should not be conducted alone and require a buddy system:

  • Experiments involving toxic or hazardous chemicals (especially inhalation hazards)
  • Experiments involving high-pressure equipment
  • Work with large quantities of cryogenic materials
  • Experiments involving unstable (explosive) materials
  • Operation of Class 3B or Class 4 lasers
  • Transfer of large quantities of flammable, acidic, or basic chemicals
  • Changing compressed gas cylinders with hazardous contents
It is the responsibility of Principal Investigators and laboratory supervisors to ensure procedures for working alone are developed and followed by personnel working in laboratories under their supervision.

Supervisor Responsibilities

Principal Investigators and laboratory supervisors are responsible for:

  • Developing clear procedures for working alone
  • Ensuring compliance with established safety measures
  • Enforcing buddy system requirements when necessary

For questions or concerns about working alone in the lab, contact EHS or your Department Safety Representative.