Plan the safety training a lab job or program will require, from general lab safety to bloodborne pathogens, lasers and radiation.
Awareness level only. This lesson explains the ideas so you recognise them. It does not qualify you to do this work. Before you handle chemicals, biological materials or lab equipment for real, you need the training your employer or institution requires, and you must work under supervision until they sign you off.
Why it matters
No online course, including this one, authorises you to work in a lab. Before you handle hazardous materials, your employer or institution must train you on the specific hazards, equipment and procedures of their lab, and a supervisor must confirm you can work safely. In the US this is a legal requirement for employers: the OSHA Laboratory Standard requires information and training for lab workers, and several other standards add their own training. This lesson maps that training so you know what to expect and can plan for it.
Who is responsible
- Employer or institution: provides training, PPE, equipment, a Chemical Hygiene Plan and a safe workplace.
- Principal investigator or lab manager: lab-specific training and supervision, SOPs, sign-off that you are competent.
- Environmental Health and Safety (EHS): runs general courses, inspections, waste pick-up, and answers questions. Ask for the Chemical Hygiene Officer, biosafety officer, radiation safety officer or laser safety officer as needed.
- You: complete training before starting work, follow it, ask when unsure, and keep records of what you have completed.
The common training map
| Training | Who needs it | Basis (US examples) | Typical renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| General lab safety and chemical hygiene | anyone working in a lab with hazardous chemicals | OSHA Laboratory Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1450 | at hire, then per institution (often annual or when hazards change) |
| Hazard communication (labels, SDSs) | anyone exposed to hazardous chemicals | OSHA HazCom, 29 CFR 1910.1200 | at hire and when new hazards are introduced |
| Hazardous waste | anyone generating chemical waste | EPA RCRA, institution rules | often annual |
| Bloodborne pathogens | anyone with occupational exposure to human blood or OPIM (clinical labs, human samples) | OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030 | annual |
| Biosafety (BSL-2 and above) | work with biological agents or recombinant DNA | BMBL, NIH Guidelines, Institutional Biosafety Committee | per institution |
| Radiation safety | work with radioactive materials or X-ray equipment | NRC or state radiation programs | per licence conditions |
| Laser safety | work with Class 3B and Class 4 lasers (common in physics and materials labs) | ANSI Z136.1, institution laser safety program | per institution |
| Compressed gases and cryogens | handling cylinders, liquid nitrogen | institution program, supplier guidance | per institution |
| Shipping dangerous goods or specimens | anyone packing infectious substances or hazardous chemicals for transport | DOT and IATA regulations | about every 2 years (DOT requires at least every 3) |
| Fire safety and extinguisher use | most lab workers | institution and fire code | per institution |
| Respirator use | only if a respirator is required | OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134 | annual fit test and training |
These are examples from the US. Other countries have equivalent laws and agencies; your institution will tell you which apply.
Training by career (beyond the platform)
- Biological technicians and biochemists: general lab and chemical safety, biosafety, often bloodborne pathogens and shipping; GMP training on the job in industry. An associate or bachelor's degree with supervised lab hours is required.
- Medical laboratory technologists: bloodborne pathogens, biosafety, chemical safety and CLIA quality rules, all within a NAACLS-accredited program with clinical rotations; ASCP Board of Certification (MLS) and a state licence where required.
- Chemists and materials scientists: chemical hygiene, waste, compressed gases, often lasers, X-ray or radiation for characterisation equipment.
- Physicists: laser, radiation, high voltage, cryogenics and magnetic fields, depending on the lab.
What lab-specific training looks like
General online courses are only the start. Expect:
- a lab orientation: exits, eyewash, shower, spill kit, fire extinguisher, emergency numbers, where SDSs and SOPs live;
- SOP walk-throughs for each procedure you will do;
- supervised practice, then sign-off before working alone;
- documented records of every course, kept by you and your institution.
Where to start now
You can start some free, reputable learning today:
- The CDC's free laboratory safety courses and videos (this lesson's videos come from that series).
- The American Chemical Society's safety resources and RAMP materials.
- Your target college's EHS website, which often publishes its training requirements publicly.
These help you prepare and show interest to employers, but they do not replace the training your employer or institution must give you.
Common mistakes
- Starting lab work before training is complete "just to observe and help a little".
- Assuming training from a previous lab transfers. Each lab has its own hazards and SOPs.
- Letting annual training lapse, especially bloodborne pathogens.
- Not keeping your own records for job applications and audits.
Quick recap
- Employers and institutions must train you before you work with hazards; supervision and sign-off come before working alone.
- Core training: lab safety and chemical hygiene, HazCom, waste; specialised: bloodborne pathogens, biosafety, radiation, lasers, shipping.
- Plan your training map early, start free reputable courses now, and keep records.
Official sources (Checked on 2026-10-23.): OSHA Laboratories, https://www.osha.gov/laboratories ; OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens, https://www.osha.gov/bloodborne-pathogens ; ACS Chemical Safety, https://www.acs.org/chemical-safety.html ; ASCP Board of Certification, https://www.ascp.org/ ; NAACLS (accredited lab science programs), https://www.naacls.org/
Try it
Open the Do tab and build a training plan for the lab career you are aiming at.