Personal Protection Equipment

All laboratory personnel and visitors must wear the required personal protection equipment (PPE). You will be removed from the laboratory if you are not wearing the required PPE. Laboratories that continually disregard the required PPE may be closed for a time period determined by EHRS.

Know the locations of PPE and how to obtain additional materials when necessary.  If appropriate PPE is not readily available do not initiate experiments involving hazardous chemicals.  

The Principle Investigator shall provide proper personal protection equipment for all personnel in the research laboratory. The PI must provide the training on appropriate use and limitations as well as the locations of all PPE. 

Faculty Members/Laboratory Supervisors shall require students to obtain the appropriate PPE prior to commencing any laboratory activities. If proper PPE is not available, no lab activity can proceed.  For proper PPE selection contact the EHRS.

Eye Protection Requirement

Appropriate eye protection is worn at all times by all persons in laboratory. Eye protection consists of safety glasses with side shields, splash goggles or face shield, or full-face respirator. Chin length face shields are to be worn to prevent splashes or sprays of blood, infectious materials, or hazardous chemicals when there is a potential for eye, nose, or mouth contamination. 

Eye protection is required whether or not one is actually performing experimental operations and must be worn by all lab personnel and visitors. Prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses are not appropriate protection. 

Body Protection Requirement

Appropriate body protection is worn at all times by all persons in the laboratory. Body protection consists of a laboratory coat, pants, shirt, and closed top/toed shoes. Clothing that exposes large areas of skin is not permitted. Shorts, skirts, and short pants that expose large areas of skin are prohibited from being worn in the laboratory. Open top/toed shoes, flip flops, perforated shoes, sandals, and cloth shoes do not provide protection from hazardous materials and are prohibited from being worn in the laboratory. Shoes must cover the entire foot.

Personnel working with flammable, pyrophoric or reactive chemicals must wear flame-resistant laboratory coats (e.g. NomexⓇ). Laboratory coats must not be worn in the hallways or common spaces outside the lab.

Hand Protection

Laboratory personnel are required to wear appropriate gloves when there is a potential for direct contact with blood, hazardous chemicals, infectious agents, or other hazardous materials.

Select gloves appropriate for the task. Gloves protect differently for each chemical.  Wearing the wrong type of glove can be more hazardous than wearing no gloves at all.  If the chemical seeps through, the glove can hold it in prolonged contact with the wearer’s skin.  For more information concerning glove selection contact EHRS. You can use the AnsellGuardian glove selection chart to identify the appropriate gloves for the task by selecting the Permeation and Degradation Database on the AnsellGuardian site.