The office of Environmental Health and Safety at OSU assists departments in maintaining a safe and healthy university environment for staff, faculty, students, and visitors. They provide training, consultation, and various safety and health services.  They help to ensure Oregon State University abides by the regulatory requirements established at the local, state and federal level.

Contact information, training materials, and many other resources are provided at the EHS website.

ALL labs have safety protocols and procedures. Work with your lab safety managers to learn these protocols. As part of this you will need to complete certain safety training modules. EHS tracks your completion of these trainings. The specific trainings needed will depend on the lab, but most likely include:

• Laboratory Safety Training
• Hazardous Waste Training
• Safety Data Sheets
• Pandemic-Slowing the Spread

There are several steps which you need to follow that will help to ensure a safe workplace.

1. Know the safety rules. The Safety Handbook is kept in the main office, Cordley 2082. When you begin work at OSU, you must sign a form indicating you have read and understand the safety regulations; your supervisor must also sign this form. A copy of this should be kept in your lab’s records.
2. Use protective devices such as eye shields, rubber gloves, plastic aprons, etc.
3. Do not eat or drink when you are working in the laboratory.
4.  Your major professor should have a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on file for each chemical that you use. You are required, by University Policy, to read the MSDS so you will know the hazards and how to handle the chemical safely. If you cannot locate a particular MSDS, see the department safety officer. The Merck Index, 9th ed. (1976) is also a good source of information about chemicals.
5. Know the first-aid that might become necessary. Also, know the location of first-aid kits in your laboratory.
6. Know how to dispose of chemicals and plant pathogens safely. Take the hazardous waste training. The University’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety (7-2273) can answer questions. 

Notify your supervisor immediately after any accident and see someone in the main departmental office for necessary forms. Any accident resulting in injury must be reported to the State Accident Industrial Fund (SAIF) within 24 hours; in the case of injuries requiring admission to a hospital, the report must be made within 8 hours.