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Environmental Health & Safety

A division within the Facilities Services Department

Environmental Health & Safety Services

Lab Safety Guidelines

General Laboratory Safety Guidelines:

  • Goggles must be worn at all times that experimentation with hazardous chemicals is being done by or around the wearer. Avoid wearing contacts in the lab if possible.
  • Eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum, or applying cosmetics in the lab is not permitted. Do not store food or drinks in area where hazardous chemicals are present.
  • Wear gloves whenever handling hazardous chemicals, sharp-edged objects, very hot or very cold materials, toxic chemicals, and substances of unknown toxicity.
  • Secure all compressed gas cylinders to walls or benches.
  • All containers of chemicals should be labeled properly. Any special hazards should be indicated on the label. Do not store chemical containers on the floor.
  • For certain classes of compounds (e.g., ethers as peroxide formers), the date the container was opened should be written on the label.
  • Lab users must only wear shoes that cover the foot completely.
  • Store corrosives and liquid chemicals below eye level (4 to 4.5 feet).
  • Used or contaminated needles, syringes, small bore pipettes, slides, lancets, scalpels and razor blades are to be placed in a red sharps container.
  • When leaving the laboratory, avoid spreading contamination by removing at least one glove so there is a free hand to open doors.
  • Clean-up work area and glassware after experimentation is done. Turn off all heating apparatus, gas valves, and water faucets when not in use.

Industrial Hygiene & Lab Safety Manager: Mark Hatcher | Mark.Hatcher@mtsu.edu

Laboratories and shops can be a hazardous place to work. Employees and students are exposed to numerous potential hazards including chemical, biological, physical and radioactive hazards. All employees and students must receive training before starting any activities in laboratory and shops that could impact their safety. Laboratory safety is governed by numerous local, state and federal regulations; OSHA, NFPA, ANSI standards, etc.

Radiation Safety Program

The goal of the Radiation Safety Program of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is to keep radiation exposure to University personnel, members of the public, and the environment As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) and in compliance with state and federal regulations. New faculty or staff planning use of radiation should contact Environmental Health and Safety Services and submit an Authorization Permit application to the Radiation safety official.

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) reviews all research involving animal subjects at MTSU as defined under the USDA* and PHS.** Refer to the Office of Compliance for general IACUC-related questions. 

*USDA Definition
Animal means any live or dead dog, cat, nonhuman primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or any other warm blooded animal, which is being used, or is intended for use for research, teaching, testing, experimentation, or exhibition purposes, or as a pet.  This term excludes:  Birds, rats of the genus Rattus and mice of the genus Mus bred for use in research, and horses not used for research purposes and other farm animals, such as, but not limited to livestock or poultry, used or intended for use as food or fiber, or livestock or poultry used or intended for use for improving animal nutrition, breeding, management, or production efficiency, or for improving the quality of food or fiber.”  With respect to a dog, the term means all dogs, including those used for hunting, security, or breeding purposes.

**PHS Definition
Any live, vertebrate animal used or intended for use in research, research training, experimentation, or biological testing or for related purposes.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The MTSU Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a committee appointed to oversee any research involving human participants.  The aim of the IRB is to protect the rights and welfare of the research subjects.  Refer to the Office of Compliance for general IRB-related questions.

OSHA’s occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories is referenced in Laboratory Standard 29 CFR 1910.1450. This standard specifies the mandatory requirements of a Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) to protect laboratory workers from harm due to hazardous chemicals.

The CHP is a written program stating the policies, procedures and responsibilities that protect workers from the health hazards associated with the hazardous chemicals used in the workplace.

According to OSHA, there is specific information required in a Chemical Hygiene Plan:

  • Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements
  • Engineering and administrative controls
  • Requirements for lab personnel handling hazardous substances
  • Requirements for handling specific operations that will require prior approval before implementation

Although the MTSU Campus Safety Handbook outlines roles and responsibilities for personnel and contains policies and practices that are applicable to the entire campus, The updated Chemical Hygiene Plan provides an overview of regulations applicable to operations within the laboratories on campus such as fire codes, hazardous waste regulations, chemical shipping requirements and other requirements relating to the use of hazardous chemicals in the laboratory.  The updated Chemical Hygiene Plan was prepared by EHS-Industrial Hygiene and Lab Safety Services with approval from the MTSU Department of Chemistry’s Safety Committee and MTSU Department of Biology’s Safety Committee.  For guidance about how to write the Chemical Hygiene Plan, please visit:  https://mtsu.edu/ehs/industrial/manuals.php, www.osha.gov & https://www.osha.gov/Publications/laboratory/OSHAfactsheet-laboratory-safety-chemical-hygiene-plan.html 

Chemical Hygiene Plan (2023)

Additional information: OSHA Fact Sheet Laboratory Safety Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)

Lab Safety Semi-Annual Safety Inspection List

Lab Safety Semi-Annual Safety Inspection Safety for 2021

Mailing Address

Middle Tennessee State University
Environmental Health & Safety
PO Box 32
Murfreesboro, TN 37132

We welcome your comments and questions. You may contact MTSU Environmental Health & Safety by calling (615) 898-2414, visiting our offices in Holmes Building, or emailing facilities.services@mtsu.edu.