This document summarizes research on laboratory safety culture in academic chemistry laboratories. It discusses how safety culture has evolved to mean an organization's commitment to safety as demonstrated through its policies, communication, and employee involvement. The document reports on two surveys conducted by the Division of Chemical Health and Safety: one of chemistry departments nationwide and one of its membership. The surveys found general acceptance of safety responsibilities but missing elements of a fully developed safety management system in many departments. The document also reviews other relevant literature on measuring safety culture and case studies of implementing safety programs at institutions.

1. What do we know about laboratory safety culture?
Ralph Stuart, CIH
Department of Environmental Health and Safety, Cornell University
Secretary, Division of Chemical Health and Safety
ABSTRACT Introduction Other Relevant Surveys Case Studies
Many authors identify Because of the many hazardous CHAS members (300 chemical health In terms of specific institutions, the
“safety culture” as a key materials used in laboratory processes, and safety professionals) safety culture of MIT has received the
element in the safety the health and safety of laboratory • Respondents had long (more than 10 most official and academic culture. A
performance of an workers has been a long-standing years) experience with laboratory safety consent agreement with the EPA as a
organization. While a concern. • 60% report that the lab safety situation result of environmental violations led to
specific definition of this has improved over the last 10 years. the development of the MIT EHS-MS for
concept is problematic and For example, as part of • The respondents report that about 75% defining and organizing the
has evolved since it first his work developing of the faculty provide effective safety environmental health and safety
appeared in the mid-1980’s, supplies of plutonium leadership for their labs program there under the EPA’s
there is a general for the Manhattan • Many people reported specific outliers oversight.
understanding of what is Project, Glenn Seaborg within their customers that present
meant by this term. defined many of the significant concerns. As this implementation of the EHS-MS
core laboratory safety proceeded, a faculty member in the MIT
In order to explore various design requirements CSHEMA Academic Safety Culture Anthropology department there studied
aspects of the safety culture and work practices that Survey the process and its cultural impacts. Her
of academic chemistry are still considered best Safety climate was generally highly observations on the challenges of using
laboratories, the Division of practices today (for perceived among workers in higher safety culture as a tool are summarized
Chemical Health and Safety example, “no eating, education (4/5). However, the lowest level of in “Taming Prometheus: Talk About
conducted two surveys, one drinking or smoking in confidence in safety orientation was in the Safety and Culture”.4
of chemistry departments laboratories”).1 supervisors. This is a common finding in a
More specific studies of the
nationally; the other of its In 2011, the most recent edition of variety of organizations.
organizational reaction of chemistry
membership. The results of “Prudent Practices in the Laboratory”2 departments to specific safety incidents
these surveys are reported identified the institutional safety culture as have been conducted by Dr. Miriam
here as well as related a key element in supporting laboratory Weil of the University of Massachusetts,
academic work. workers in observing these practices. Lowell. Her findings will be published
In order to better understand the current soon.5
In addition, references to a
state of laboratory safety culture in higher
variety of papers and
education, the ACS Division of Chemical
resources on the subject are
Health and Safety reviewed relevant
provided.
information and conducted a survey of
chemistry departments nationwide and its References
members.
1. Working Safely at the
Chemistry Department Survey Frontiers of Science, JCHAS
May/June 1998.
Research Ethics 2. Prudent Practices in the
• In April, 2010, in response to a request Laboratory. 2011. National
from a Chemistry Department chair at a Research Council
In 2008, Robert McGinn of Stanford
teaching institution, DCHAS surveyed http://www.nap.edu/
University published the results of a survey
the 900 academic chemistry catalog.php?record_id=12654
nanotechnology researchers in the Journal
departments in the U.S. about their
Nanoethics3. He included a variety of 3. Ethics and Nanotechnology: Views of
safety management practices.
research ethics topics, such as intellectual Nanotechnology Researchers, Robert
• The results indicated a general property concerns and scientific “hype” as McGinn, 2008, Nanoethics
acceptance of laboratory safety
well as environmental health and safety. He
responsibilities, but key elements of a 4. Taming Prometheus: Talk About Safety
concluded:
safety management system were and Culture Susan S. Silbey.. Annu. Rev.
A substantial majority of respondents
missing in many departments, at both exhibited medium or high levels of Sociol. 2009.35:341-369
management and procedural levels.
sensitivity to ethics in relation to NT. 5. "Information, Communication and
• For example, inclusion of safety as an
Although most respondents view Culture in Academic Laboratory Chemical
element in employee performance
themselves as not particularly well informed Management" – Miriam Weil Doctoral
reviews is generally considered a core
about ethics in relation to NT, a substantial Dissertation, UMass Lowell, 2012
element of a safety management majority are aware of and receptive to
system. However, this practice was
ethical issues related to their work, and
reported by a minority of the
believe that these issues merit
departments who responded.
consideration by society and study by
current and future NT practitioners.
Additional Information
CONTACT Interview with Susan Silbey on the MIT
EHS-MS:
http://web.mit.edu/~ssilbey/www/pdf/
Ralph Stuart
Division of Chemical Health and ehs_newsletter_article.pdf
Safety Safety in Academic Chemistry
Email: secretary@dchas.org
Laboratories: Volume 2 available on
Website: www.dchas.org
ACS web site (google ACS CCS SACL)
ACS National Meeting, Spring C&EN Safety Zone blog
2012
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