Recommendations: Institution-Wide Dynamics and Resources

Recommendation 10. The institution empowers undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and staff to voice safety questions and concerns to their faculty supervisors, EH&S offices, and/or safety committee.

Empowered Students and Postdocs Drive Lab Safety
Available at Science Magazine.
Description of how the University of Minnesota is empowering students to be involved in laboratory safety.
McGarry, K. A., Hurley, K. R., Volp, K. A., Hill, I. M., Merritt, B. A., Peterson, K. L., … & Tolman, W. B. (2013). Student Involvement in Improving the Culture of Safety in Academic Laboratories. Journal of Chemical Education, 90(11), 1414-1417.
Available at Journal of Chemical Education.
A more in depth analysis of how the University of Minnesota empowered students.
Dupont’s Safety Training Observation Program (STOP)
Available at Dupont.
Provides a path to workplace safety by making safe behavior and workplace conditions part of the work culture.
OSHA provides guidance on how employees can be involved in safety.
Available at OSHA.

From Safe Science: Promoting a Culture of Safety in Academic Chemical Research (NRC, 2014)
- Conclusion 4: There are several key attributes related to research group dynamics that contribute to the advancement of the laboratory safety culture. A strong, positive safety culture empowers student and research trainees to have a “voice” and maintain an environment that encourages raising safety concerns freely without fear of repercussions.