1.2 Laboratory Safety Responsibilities

Maintaining a safe and healthy laboratory environment is a shared responsibility. All individuals working in laboratories are expected to follow established safety procedures, complete required training, and perform their work in a manner that protects themselves and others.

Principal Investigators, faculty, and laboratory supervisors are responsible for establishing and maintaining the conditions that support safe laboratory operations. This includes ensuring that employees and other laboratory personnel (such as visiting scientists, fellows, volunteers, temporary employees, and student employees) receive appropriate training, have access to required safety information, and are provided with the resources and oversight necessary to work safely in laboratories under their supervision.

Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) supports laboratory operations by providing technical expertise, guidance, training, and program oversight. A listing of EHS staff, responsibilities, and services available to campus personnel can be found on the EHS Subject Matter Experts page.

Principal Investigators and laboratory supervisors are responsible for implementing and ensuring compliance with the University Chemical Hygiene Plan, Cornell Policy 8.6 – Environment, Health and Safety, and applicable department- or University-level laboratory safety policies within laboratories under their supervision.

1.2.1 Environment, Health and Safety

Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) provides institutional oversight, technical authority, and programmatic assurance for environmental health and safety requirements at Cornell University. EHS establishes and maintains University-level policies, guidance, and standards (including this Laboratory Safety Manual), develops training programs that meet regulatory and institutional requirements, and provides technical consultation to laboratories to support safe and effective research operations.

EHS maintains the University Chemical Hygiene Plan and fulfills the institutional Chemical Hygiene Officer responsibilities. EHS also carries out institutionally designated safety officer functions, including the Biological Safety Officer (BSO) and Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) roles, as required by applicable federal, state, and funding-agency regulations.

EHS administers the University Radiation Safety Committee in support of the institutional radiation protection program, providing technical review, regulatory interface support, and administrative coordination on behalf of the University. EHS also administers the University Select Agent Program through the institutionally designated Responsible Official, as required under federal Select Agent regulations.

Other institutional research oversight committees (such as the Institutional Biosafety Committee, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, and Institutional Review Board) are administered outside of EHS. EHS provides technical expertise and regulatory support to these committees as appropriate but does not administer or oversee their operations.

EHS does not perform laboratory operations or directly supervise laboratory personnel. Responsibility for day-to-day laboratory activities and implementation of safety controls resides with colleges, departments, Principal Investigators, and laboratory supervisors. EHS works in partnership with these groups and institutional leadership to provide oversight, assurance, and continuous improvement of the University’s environmental health and safety programs.

1.2.2 Chemical Hygiene Officer

The Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) is an institutionally designated role responsible for providing technical authority, program oversight, and subject matter expertise in support of the University’s Chemical Hygiene Plan and laboratory chemical safety programs. The CHO supports a proactive safety culture by helping ensure that chemical hazards are identified, evaluated, and controlled through effective institutional systems and laboratory-level implementation.

Role Overview

The CHO serves as a technical resource to the campus laboratory community, providing guidance on chemical hazard assessment, control strategies, and regulatory requirements applicable to laboratory operations. An Associate Chemical Hygiene Officer supports these functions and may act in the absence of the CHO. Current contact information is available on the EHS Subject Matter Experts page.

Key Responsibilities

Chemical Hygiene Plan Stewardship: Maintain, periodically review, and update the University Chemical Hygiene Plan and Laboratory Safety Manual in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
Technical Guidance and Consultation: Provide technical expertise on laboratory chemical safety, hazard controls, exposure prevention strategies, and regulatory interpretation, and direct laboratories to appropriate institutional resources as needed.
Particularly Hazardous Substances: Develop institutional guidance for the safe handling, storage, labeling, and use of particularly hazardous substances , and assist laboratories in developing laboratory-specific SOPs and controls for these materials.
SOP and Practice Review: Provide technical review and feedback on laboratory SOPs and work practices involving hazardous chemicals, including spill response, decontamination, waste handling, and personal protective equipment.
Engineering Control Program Oversight: Provide design review input, performance criteria, and programmatic oversight for laboratory engineering controls (such as fume hoods and emergency equipment) in coordination with Facilities and project teams.
Training and Competency Support: Develop and deliver institutional laboratory safety training and support supervisors in providing task- and laboratory-specific training.
Incident Review and Learning: Review laboratory incidents, near misses, and hazardous occurrences to identify systemic issues and recommend corrective actions and preventive improvements.
Design and Renovation Consultation: Provide technical input during laboratory design, renovation, or modification projects to support alignment with applicable codes, standards, and institutional requirements.
Institutional Reporting and Escalation: Communicate emerging risks, trends, and programmatic needs to EHS leadership and University administration, and escalate systemic chemical safety concerns as appropriate.

Supporting a Proactive Safety Culture

The CHO supports a proactive and learning-oriented safety culture by encouraging open communication, worker engagement, and continuous improvement in laboratory chemical safety practices. This approach emphasizes prevention, shared responsibility, and system-level solutions rather than individual blame.

Consistent with Cornell Policy 8.6 – Environment, Health and Safety, the Chemical Hygiene Officer has the authority to suspend or restrict laboratory activities when conditions present an imminent hazard or pose an unacceptable risk to personnel, facilities, or the environment. Such actions are taken to protect health and safety and are accompanied by consultation and follow-up to address underlying system or control deficiencies.

1.2.3 Deans, Directors, and Department Chairpersons

Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs provide leadership and oversight for laboratory safety within their colleges, schools, and departments. In accordance with Cornell Policy 8.6 – Environment, Health and Safety, they are responsible for establishing expectations, allocating resources, and ensuring that appropriate structures are in place to support safe and compliant laboratory operations.

While day-to-day laboratory activities are conducted under the authority of Principal Investigators and laboratory supervisors, Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs play a critical role in enabling effective implementation of University environmental health and safety programs through leadership, delegation, and accountability.

Responsibilities of Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs include:

Demonstrating visible commitment to laboratory safety and health, and ensuring that Cornell Policy 8.6 and the requirements of the Laboratory Safety Manual are understood and supported within their units.
Designating qualified individuals (such as Department Safety Representatives) with appropriate authority to support laboratory safety coordination and communication at the departmental level.
Ensuring that faculty, staff, students, visiting scholars, volunteers, and other laboratory personnel are informed of applicable safety policies, procedures, and expectations.
Ensuring that adequate resources are available to support laboratory safety, including engineering controls, training, personal protective equipment, and staffing as appropriate to the hazards present.
Supporting Principal Investigators and supervisors in fulfilling their responsibilities for laboratory safety, including access to required training and technical assistance from Environment, Health and Safety.
Establishing and communicating college or departmental procedures for responding to accidents, incidents, and emergency situations, in coordination with University emergency management processes.
Ensuring that laboratory spaces within their units are appropriately registered in University safety systems and that significant changes in laboratory operations, renovations, or personnel transitions are communicated to EHS in a timely manner.
Promoting participation in University safety review and inspection programs as a means of monitoring performance, identifying systemic issues, and supporting continuous improvement.
Encouraging the formation and effective functioning of college or departmental safety committees to facilitate communication, engagement, and shared learning.
Setting priorities, objectives, and expectations for laboratory safety performance within their units, and seeking guidance from EHS when needed.

1.2.4 Principal Investigators, Faculty, and Laboratory Supervisors

Principal Investigators, faculty, and laboratory supervisors are responsible for laboratory safety in their research or teaching laboratories. In addition to the responsibilities outlined within the Environment, Health and Safety Policy 8.6, the laboratory safety duties of Principal Investigators, faculty, and laboratory supervisors (which can also be delegated to other authorized personnel within the laboratory) are:

Implement and communicate the Environment, Health and Safety Policy 8.6 and all other University safety practices and programs, including the guidelines and procedures found within the Laboratory Safety Manual, in laboratories under your supervision or control.
Establish laboratory priorities, objectives and targets for laboratory safety, health and environmental performance.
Communicate roles and responsibilities of individuals within the laboratory relative to environmental, health, and safety according to this Laboratory Safety Manual.
Conduct hazard evaluations for procedures conducted in the laboratory and maintain a file of standard operating procedures documenting those hazards.
Ensure that specific operating procedures for handling and disposing of hazardous substances used in their laboratories are written, communicated, and followed and ensure laboratory personnel have been trained in these operating procedures and use proper control measures.
Attend required health and safety training.
Require all staff members and students under their direction to obtain and maintain required health and safety training commensurate with their duties and/or department requirements.
Participate in EHS Research Area Inspections with their laboratory employees or designate someone in the laboratory to conduct these inspections.
Ensure that all items identified during annual EHS research area inspections are corrected in a timely manner.
Ensure that all appropriate engineering controls including chemical fume hoods and safety equipment are available and in good working order in their laboratories. This includes notifying EHS when significant changes in chemical use may require a re-evaluation of the laboratory ventilation.
Ensure procedures are established and communicated to identify the potential for, and the appropriate response to accidents and emergency situations.
Ensure that all incidents and near misses occurring in their laboratories are reported to their Director or Department Chairperson and/or Department Safety Representative and that a written Injury/Illness Report is filed with EHS for each injured person.
Ensure laboratory personnel under your supervision know and follow the guidelines and requirements contained within the Laboratory Safety Manual.
Follow the guidelines identified within this manual as Principal Investigator and laboratory supervisor responsibilities. A compiled version of these responsibilities can be found in the Appendix C.
Notify EHS before retiring or leaves the University and ensure proper laboratory decommissioning occurs. For more information, see the Lab Decommissioning Process and Checklist in Appendix E.
Keep EHS, the Department Safety Representative, Department Chairperson informed of plans for renovations or new laboratory construction projects.
Ensure that research areas under their supervision are registered using HASP in a timely manner upon notification by EHS and updated annually.

1.2.5 Laboratory Employees

Laboratory employees are those personnel who conduct their work in a laboratory and are at risk of possible exposure to hazardous chemicals on a regular or periodic basis. These personnel include laboratory technicians, instructors, researchers, visiting researchers, administrative assistants, graduate assistants, student aides, student employees, and part time and temporary employees.

In addition to the responsibilities outlined within the Environment, Health and Safety Policy 8.6, the laboratory safety duties of laboratory employees are:

Comply with the Environment, Health and Safety Policy 8.6 and all other health and safety practices and programs by maintaining class, work, and laboratory areas safe and free from hazards.
Know the location of the Chemical Hygiene Plan and how to access safety data sheets (SDS).
Attend health and safety training as designated by your supervisor.
Inform your supervisor or instructor of any safety hazards in the workplace, classroom, or laboratory, including reporting any unsafe working conditions, faulty fume hoods, or other emergency safety equipment to the laboratory supervisor.
Ensure an SDS is present for all new chemicals you purchase (either sent with the original shipment or available online. Review the SDSs for chemicals you are working with and check with your laboratory supervisor or principal investigator if you ever have any questions.
Conduct hazard evaluations with your supervisor for procedures conducted in the laboratory and maintain a file of standard operating procedures documenting those hazards.
Be familiar with what to do in the event of an emergency situation.
Participate in laboratory self inspections and annual EHS Research Area Inspections.
Follow the standard operating procedures for your laboratory and incorporate the guidelines and requirements outlined in this Laboratory Safety Manual into everyday practice.

1.2.6 Building Coordinators

Building Coordinators serve as an important conduit for information with regard to building wide issues. This information includes reporting and coordinating routine maintenance issues, scheduling building shutdowns, and communicating building wide maintenance and repairs and building system shutdowns to all occupants.

Laboratory safety responsibilities of Building Coordinators include:

Comply with the Environment, Health and Safety policy 8.6 and all other University health and safety practices and programs by maintaining common building areas safe and free from hazards.
Attend health and safety training as designated by your supervisor.
Keep the DSR, Department Chairperson, and EHS informed of plans for renovations or new laboratory construction projects, and the laboratory needs of new faculty and staff.
Notify EHS of faculty retiring or leaving the University so appropriate laboratory decommissioning occurs. For more information, see the Lab Decommissioning Process and Checklist in Appendix E.
Ensure that ticket requests for safety equipment (such as fume hoods and emergency eyewash/showers) and other laboratory equipment are processed in a timely manner.
Ensure that requests from EHS related to building-wide laboratory safety issues are addressed.
Be aware of building issues that could impact the health and safety of laboratory personnel and contact EHS at 607-255-8200 whenever building-wide health and safety issues occurs in laboratories.
Be familiar with what to do in the event of an emergency situation.
Assist emergency responders during emergencies by serving as a resource for control of building control systems (ventilation, turning off water main, etc.).

1.2.7 Department Safety Representatives

The Department Safety Representative (DSR) serves a very important function in implementing the Chemical Hygiene Plan and Laboratory Safety Manual within the department. The role of the DSR is to assist the director, unit head, and/or department chairperson meet their responsibilities for safety and compliance as described in the Environment, Health and Safety Policy 8.6. A detailed description of DSR roles and responsibilities can be found in the separate document – Department Safety Representative Program.

Laboratory safety responsibilities of DSRs include:

Comply with the Environment, Health and Safety policy 8.6 and all other University health and safety practices and programs.
Request and coordinate assistance from EHS and other organizations that can provide guidance, training, and other services to assist laboratory personnel.
Assist directors, unit heads, department chairpersons, supervisors, and individuals within the areas they represent to establish departmental, unit, or facility-wide safety programs, priorities, objectives and targets for safety, health, and environmental performance.
Assist directors, unit heads, department chairpersons, supervisors, and individuals to identify (with assistance and guidance from EHS) if the safety needs for the areas they represent are met (e.g., training, protective equipment, acquisition of safety equipment, and corrective measures including noncompliance items identified in safety inspections).
Encourage the formation of, and participate on college, unit, departmental, and/or facility-wide safety committee(s).
Collaborate with unit Emergency Coordinator(s) on emergency planning efforts, response, and implementation of University Policy 8.3 - Emergency Planning.
Work with EHS to stay knowledgeable about safety, health, and environmental services available, the University health and safety policies and procedures that apply to, and the health and safety issues that occur within the areas they represent.
Communicate to individuals working within the areas they represent about health and safety policies and procedures, including this Laboratory Safety Manual, and the safety, health, and environmental services available to them.
Conduct and/or facilitate routine inspections of work areas in the areas they represent using tools and resources provided by EHS, including participation in EHS Research Area Inspections. Facilitate corrective actions for any issues identified with the support and participation of EHS, including bringing issues of noncompliance to the attention of directors, unit heads and department chairpersons.
Promote safety, health, and environmental training program and workshops (particularly EHS trainings) throughout the areas they represent by distributing fliers and EHS newsletters, and forwarding EHS training announcements and other announcements via email or hardcopy. Inform individuals working in areas they represent about the requirements to obtain necessary training as identified by their supervisor, department, college and EHS.
Serve as a “conduit for information exchange” through facilitation and dissemination of safety, health and environmental information (particularly information sent out by EHS) to all personnel, including visiting faculty and researchers, and student employees, within the areas they represent.
Communicate with supervisors in the areas they represent that all incidents and near misses should be reported and that a written Injury/Illness Report is completed.
Attend EHS training programs (and other safety, health, and environmental training programs and workshops) to increase and maintain knowledge about safety, health, and environmental issues that are applicable to the areas they represent.
Attend University DSR meetings and other college or unit level safety, health, and environmental related meetings and serve as the liaison for the areas they represent at these meetings.
Be aware that changes in chemical use in a particular laboratory may require a re-evaluation of the laboratory ventilation.
Notify EHS before a faculty member retires or leaves the University or laboratory groups move so proper laboratory decommissioning can occur. For more information, see the Lab Decommissioning Process and Checklist in Appendix E.