Lab Safety Orientation

Definitions

Laboratory
Any teaching or research space where chemical, biological, radioactive, or other hazardous materials, equipment, or processes (e.g., lasers) are used or stored. This excludes non‑hazardous areas such as computer, language, or music labs.

Laboratory Personnel
Faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, visitors, volunteers, and others who regularly work, study, or conduct research in McGill laboratories.

Laboratory Supervisor
Any individual responsible for overseeing a laboratory or hazardous work area, including Principal Investigators, Research Directors, Lab Managers, and Superintendents.

Laboratory Safety Orientation Requirements

All Laboratory Personnel must receive a safety orientation that includes:

• Rights under the Act Respecting Occupational Health and Safety, including:
  • The right to know about workplace hazards and controls
  • The right to participate in health and safety decisions
  • The right to refuse unsafe work
• Emergency procedures
• Health and safety policies
• Accident, incident, and occupational disease reporting procedures
• Hazard and unsafe condition reporting
• Safe work practices and procedures
• Identification of workplace hazards and existing controls
• Required personal protective equipment (PPE)

Responsibilities

Laboratory Supervisors

Laboratory Supervisors must ensure that all Laboratory Personnel receive a proper safety orientation before beginning work in the laboratory.

Laboratory Personnel

Laboratory Personnel must not work in a laboratory until they have received required safety training and instructions. They must comply with all health and safety policies, follow safe work practices, and keep their safety training up to date

Orientation Procedure

1. The Laboratory Supervisor (or delegate) completes Section 12: Safety Training Requirements of the Laboratory Safety Orientation Checklist for each new Laboratory Personnel.
2. Laboratory Personnel receive and complete the checklist, including attending required safety training, prior to starting work.
3. The completed and signed checklist is returned to the Laboratory Supervisor within one month of arrival.
4. The Laboratory Supervisor reviews and signs the checklist to confirm all requirements are met.
5. Completed checklists are retained by the Laboratory Supervisor for recordkeeping.

 Department‑Specific Safety Orientation

Some departments offer their own safety orientation sessions that cover much of the material required in the Laboratory Safety Orientation Checklist.