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Environmental Health and Safety

Chemical & Lab Safety Training

The Chemical and Lab Safety Office provides basic chemical and lab safety awareness training in a classroom setting. We recognize, however, that this awareness training must be complemented by a lab-specific (in-house, on-the-job) safety training provided by the lab supervisor. At the time of initial appointment, the supervisor must provide lab personnel with a training plan (list of required trainings based on hazards handled) and a lab-specific safety training.  Personnel who are provided a lab-specific safety training that is properly documented using this template, may, at the discretion of the Principal Investigator, be allowed to start working in the laboratory if ALL of the following is true:

  • Class and work schedule of personnel conflicts with the EH&S Chemical and Lab safety training scheduled within the month of initial appointment
  • Personnel will not be handling HF
  • Work with highly hazardous chemicals (toxic gases, pyrophoric gases, others), equipment and processes is covered in the lab-specific safety training
  • Personnel will not be handling human blood and other bodily fluids that may contain bloodborne pathogens (see Biological Safety training requirement for personnel handling BSL-2 agents)
  • Personnel will not be handling isotopes, x-ray and laser (see Radiation Safety training)
  • Personnel will attend the EH&S Chemical and Lab Safety training within 60 days of the initial appointment (additional option to attend trainings scheduled at the School of Medicine)

Training Opportunities and Requirements

The following table includes a list of the current and upcoming chemical and lab safety training courses available. Check the training schedule to see when the course is offered next. 

Course Name Required to Complete Training Frequency Course Offering
Introduction to Chemical and Lab Safety All personnel prior to working in a laboratory, and/or prior to conducting experiments involving chemical and physical hazards 4 years  Classroom 
Hazardous Waste Laboratory personnel performing work that generate hazardous chemical waste

Annual
(First time in-person; online refresher thereafter) 

 Classroom (first time)

Online (refresher)
Compressed Gas Safety Laboratory personnel conducting experiments involving compressed gases   2 years Online
Personal Protective Equipment All personnel prior to working in a laboratory, and/or prior to conducting experiments involving chemical and physical hazards One time Online
HF (Hydrofluoric acid) Hazard and Risk Awareness  

Laboratory personnel needing authorization to work with HF and all others who access the laboratory where HF is stored and/or used.

IMPORTANT! To be authorized to work with HF, lab personnel must:

  • demonstrate proficiency on performing the HF methodology,
  • understand and sign an approved SOP for HF use, and be able to implement all sections of the SOP, including but not limited to first aid and spill clean-up,
  • have been assigned the proper PPE for HF, and knows how to use and maintain them.
 Every 2 years, an SOP-guided lab-specific HF safety training provided by lab supervisor. Training completion documented in the SOP signature page.  

Classroom (first time)

Refresher required when lab use of HF changes significantly.

In addition to HF Hazard and Risk Awareness lecture, EH&S provides consultation during the planning stage, reviews HF SOPs, and verifies on-site that all required controls are in place.

E-mail jlocke@mailbox.sc.edu to request HF lecture and/or consultation. 
Planning and providing Lab-specific safety training   Principal Investigator and lab managers who provide daily oversight for lab group members 4 years Coming soon
Lab Safety Training for Area Campus Contact your campus lab safety Coordinator.    

 

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