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Everybody has a shared responsibility for health and safety within laboratories; however, it is ultimately the responsibility of the Center Directors and Principal Investigators to ensure that persons working in the laboratory have received all appropriate training, and have been provided with all the necessary information to work safely in laboratories under their control. Principal Investigators, faculty, and lab managers have numerous resources available to them for helping to ensure a safe and healthy laboratory.
It is the responsibility of Center Directors and Principal Investigators to ensure that all persons in the laboratory are familiar both with the Lab Safety Practices given in our webpage and the relevant Laboratory Safety Plan, and are properly trained and competent to safely carry out their job duties and research.
Research Center Directors and Principal Investigators are accountable for the health and safety of employees engaged in activities under their supervision. This responsibility cannot be delegated. In situations where multiple Principal Investigators fall under a Research Center (use a common/shared space and equipment), the Center Director bears the ultimate responsibility for health and safety.
To fulfill this responsibility, Center Directors and Principal Investigators should be familiar with KAUSTʼs HSE policyand this Laboratory Safety Manual. Center Directors and Principal Investigators cannot delegate their responsibilities but they can delegate their authority to empower lab managers to help in meeting their health and safety obligations.
Promote health and safety awareness in their center or laboratories;
Communicate and implement KAUSTʼs HSE policy and the safety requirements given in this webpage to faculty, staff, visiting scholars and students working in laboratories within their units;
Ensure laboratory personnel know and follow the guidelines and safety requirements given in this webpage;
Ensure laboratory personnel develop and adhere to proper health and safety protocols.
Support staff participation on campus, center, and lab safety committee(s); training programs; and safety meetings;
Ensure that a written Laboratory Safety Plan (link Harzard Controls/Admin Control/Lab safety Plan and Stamdard Operating procedures) has been prepared and communicated to laboratory personnel;
Ensure that the Laboratory Safety Plan is reviewed at least yearly with the review being documented;
Ensure that standard operating procedures for handling and disposing of hazardous substances used in their laboratories are written, communicated, and followed. Ensure laboratory personnel have been trained in these standard operating procedures and use proper control measures. Ensure that all persons working in the laboratory are properly trained to safely carry out their job duties and research;
Require all staff members and students under their direction to obtain and maintain required health and safety training;
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 and that an incident report is submitted to KAUST HSE using the online reporting system.
Before leaving KAUST, ensure all laboratories and spaces (and all the hazards within them) have meet the HSE Departure ClearanceLink to Lab Life Cycle Managment/Lab Clareance labd Cleanouts) criteria
Laboratory managers play an important and integral role in the implementation of health and safety programs for laboratory operations. However the responsibility for the health and safety of laboratory personnel still ultimately belongs to the Center Directors or Principal Investigators. Laboratory managers can greatly facilitate and help the Center Directors and Principal Investigators meet their health and safety obligations. Therefore HSE encourages Center Directors and Principal Investigators to empower laboratory managers to help in the enforcement and implementation of their laboratory safety plans and their responsibilities outlined above.
In the cases of Research Centers where multiple Principal Investigators and their students and staff conduct work, HSE highly encourages Center Directors to appoint laboratory managers to help implement and carry out the Center Directorʼs health and safety responsibilities. Center Directors should clearly define and communicate the lab managerʼs roles and responsibilities to all affected personnel.
The Laboratory Safety Representative (LSR) serves a very important function in implementing the safety requirements given in this webpage within their lab(s). The role of the LSR is to assist the director, unit head, and faculty member meet their responsibilities for safety and compliance. Each Laboratory Safety Representative shall be delegated authority in regard health and safety matters by the unit head to whom they report.
The Laboratory Safety Representative (LSR) serves a very important function in implementing the Laboratory Safety Manual within their laboratories. The role of the LSR is to assist the director, unit head, and faculty member meet their responsibilities for safety and compliance. Each Laboratory Safety Representative shall be delegated authority in regard health and safety matters by the unit head to whom they report.
Assisting with promoting health and safety awareness in their center or area.
Assisting with hazard/risk assessments and/or obtaining advice on unfamiliar problems from HSE, the Research Safety Team, or other sources.
Communicate health and safety training requirements to all staff and students working in labs they represent.
Communicate to all staff and students working within the areas they represent about health and safety policies and procedures, and the safety, health, and environmental services available to them
Bringing to the attention of staff and students any health and safety hazards associated with their work.
Bringing to the attention of the relevant unit heads unresolved health and safety problems.
Attend the Lab Safety Forum (link to Past Lab Safety Forum), and other health and safety training, and communicate back relevant information to others working in their laboratory or area;
Serve as a liaison with HSE on health and safety activities in their unit or area through activities such as forwarding emails, safety bulletins and other information from HSE;
Report and assist with the investigation of all incidents, injuries and occupational health problems and notifying HSE staff of incidents and hazards using the on;ine reporting system (link).
