Established in 2005, McGill’s Laboratory Safety Inspection Program supports safe laboratory environments by identifying hazards, assessing risks, and recommending corrective actions.
The program is a collaborative effort between EHS, safety committees, Principal Investigators, and Laboratory Directors to protect staff, students, and faculty.
Laboratory Directors refers to anyone who, as a function of their responsibilities, oversees a laboratory or other area where chemicals and hazardous materials are used and stored. This includes Lab Superintendents, Managers, and Supervisors.
Inspection Checklist
McGill’s Laboratory Safety Inspection includes four sections—General, Chemical Safety, Biosafety, and Radiation Safety—based on laboratory activities and hazards. Each item is rated Pass, Fail, or Not Applicable, with all applicable items weighted equally.
An overall inspection score (%) is calculated as: (Total Passed Items ÷ [Passed + Failed Items]) × 100
Items marked Not Applicable are excluded from the calculation.
Department and faculty scores are determined by averaging inspection results across their respective laboratories. The overall University score is calculated as the average of all inspections completed during the first inspection cycle.
Inspection Notice
An inspection notice is sent to the Department Safety Committee Chair several weeks in advance to update laboratory information. Inspection timing and duration vary and cannot be scheduled in advance.
Inspections are conducted only when a lab representative is present—preferably the Principal Investigator or Laboratory Director, or a designated delegate.
Laboratory Safety Inspection Report in myLab
Following the inspection, the Principal Investigator or Laboratory Director receives an email when the report is available in myLab, outlining results, grades, and recommended corrective actions.
Laboratory Safety Inspection Response
Principal Investigators and Laboratory Directors must respond to inspection reports in myLab within six weeks, outlining corrective actions and target dates for outstanding items.
EHS Lab Inspection Communication Protocol
EHS has developed a communication protocol for laboratory inspections in Faculties with laboratory facilities—primarily Science, Medicine, Engineering, and Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. The protocol outlines:
- How Faculties are notified of upcoming inspections
- How inspections are planned and conducted in the field
- How inspection reports are prepared and distributed
- How Principal Investigator responses are managed
- How stakeholders are kept informed of inspection progress
For more details, see the link below.
Laboratory Safety Inspection Reports – Work Steps and Communication Protocol .pdf