Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management

Lab Inspections will take place throughout the calendar year and will include a review of relevant lab-specific documentation as well as an in-person walkthrough of all lab spaces (including shared lab spaces, cold rooms, warm rooms, supply rooms, shared appliances in different labs, etc.). Inspections will be scheduled directly with the lab. The PI will always be invited to the inspection, however they can designate a lab safety contact if they do not wish to attend. All follow-up regarding the inspection will be communicated to the PI and to the lab safety contact in writing within one calendar week of the inspection date.  

Frequency:

The frequency of lab inspections will generally be once per year per laboratory, however, changes in the frequency schedule of a lab can be made at EHS & EM's discretion based on the risk assessment within the lab and the lab's safety performance history.  Potential inspection frequencies are annual, biannual, triannual, and every 6 months. 

Inspection Criteria & Procedures:

The inspection focuses on criteria similar to the components of the program: training, documentation, and hazards in the physical space. The EHS & EM member conducting the inspection will schedule the inspection and request documentation and proof of training relevant to the lab’s work at that time. Prior to the inspection date, the EHS & EM member will review all documentation and training records and come to the inspection prepared to discuss any suggested changes or missing documentation/training.

After the initial discussion, a physical tour of the lab space (including any shared spaces that are not part of a standalone facility that receives its own inspection) will be conducted. A standardized inspection checklist will be used for every lab, though irrelevant sections will be skipped where necessary. Certain inspection criteria will be considered ‘high priority’ in that infractions to those criteria will be treated as serious violations that require more robust follow-up and potentially increased frequency of inspections. The inspection checklist is published here as a reference.