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1.2 Laboratory Safety Responsibilities

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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.
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