All research conducted at FHL must follow the rules and procedures for laboratory safety at the University of Washington (UW) as well as procedures for safety, cleanliness, and good citizenship at FHL.

General Lab & Tank Use Procedures

TO USE AN OUTDOOR TANK, PLACE A REQUEST IN THE FRONT OFFICE
If you have been assigned a lab space, you may use an indoor sea table/tank associated with that space. If you would like to use one or more outdoor tanks, contact fhlfac@uw.edu to place a request. You will be assigned tank(s), which are numbered.

LABEL EVERY SEA TANK OR TABLE YOU USE
Label any tanks you use, indoors or out, with your name, cell number, and departure date, written in sharpie on lab (“time) tape that you remove upon departure.

LEAVE REPAIRS TO THE PROS
If a repair is needed in your lab space, the seawater system, sea tables, or equipment, notify the Front Office Coordinator, who will place a work order with the FHL Maintenance crew.

DO NOT MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO FHL FACILITIES OR RELOCATE LARGE EQUIPMENT
Do not make modifications to FHL facilities or equipment unless they are minor, reversible alterations that you will undo before departure. Except for small items that can be checked out from the stockroom, never relocate equipment, including seawater tanks or tables.

Lab & Chemical Safety

All chemicals present on the FHL campus must be documented online with University of Washington Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S). For each chemical a researcher is using or storing, they are required to have on hand a Safety Data Sheet, a Standard Operating Procedure, and records of having completed the required trainings. See links at the bottom of the page for more information and guidelines for these requirements.

REPORT YOUR CHEMICALS
If you bring or ship chemicals to FHL or order them while here, report them as soon as they arrive, entering them on this shared worksheet:

FHL Chemicals Worksheet

HAVE A SAFETY DATA SHEET (SDS) FOR EACH ONE
For each chemical you are using or storing, have on hand in your research space an SDS.

HAVE A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP) FOR EACH ONE
For each chemical you are using or storing, have on hand in your research space an SOP written for how you are using the chemical in your research processes.

TAKE THE REQUIRED TRAININGS (AND HAVE YOUR STUDENTS/ASSISTANTS TAKE THE TRAININGS)
Refer to the UW EH&S Lab Safety Training Matrix to determine which trainings are required for the chemicals and procedures you are using. If you haven’t had those trainings (or are not up to date on them), you may request a University of Washington user ID (“NetID”) and then take the UW trainings; email your request for an ID to the FHL IT team.

Safety Training Matrix

HAVE TRAINING DOCUMENTATION
Have on hand in your research space documentation that you AND any students or assistants working with you having completed the required trainings.

COMPLETE A PPE ASSESSMENT & USE THE APPROPRIATE PPE
Complete a PPE assessment and have on hand the appropriate PPE for the chemicals and procedures being used in your space. Lab coats, gloves, goggles, etc. are available for purchase in the Stockroom.

UW PPE Hazard Assessment

STORE CHEMICALS CORRECTLY
Store all of your chemicals in appropriate containers with screw top lids; for chemicals being kept in flasks (with foil or parafilm over their tops), store in a secondary container with lid.

LABEL CHEMICALS CORRECTLY
Label every container of chemicals with:

  • Chemical/product name
  • Chemical contents and percentages (incl water, totaling 100%)
  • Your name
  • The Date
  • Hazards for the chemical (e.g. Toxic, Flammable, Acid, Corrosive)

If you place one or more containers in a tub/bin, and if all of the containers contain identical chemicals, label the tub/bin as well as the individual containers. Sticker labels are available in the Stockroom.

MINIMIZE THE GENERATION OF HAZARDOUS WASTES
They’re not only bad for the environment, but time-consuming and costly for FHL to process and ship off island for disposal.

FOR WASTES YOU DO GENERATE, FOLLOW THE CORRECT PROCEDURES FOR THEM
Carefully read the FHL Hazardous Waste Procedures, and be sure to label containers correctly, use separate containers for different waste chemicals, log wastes online, and dispose of them correctly.  Hazardous waste stickers are available in the Stockroom and most lab buildings.

Cleanliness & Good Citizenship

Upon departure, researchers are required to fill out, sign, and submit a Lab Check Out form, confirming that they have cleaned their spaces thoroughly, left nothing of theirs (including chemicals or research gear) behind, and have followed FHL procedures for hazardous waste disposal.

Lab Check Out Form

UW Laboratory Safety requirements and guidelines

LINKS TO INFORMATION:

 

 

 

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