The COVID-19 Pandemic as a Stress Test for Laboratory Safety Teams

Abstract

Laboratory safety teams (LSTs), led by graduate student and postdoctoral researchers, have been propagating across the U.S. as a bottom-up approach to improving safety culture in academic research laboratories. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, LSTs relied heavily on in-person projects and events. Additionally, committed Champions from the ranks of safety professionals and faculty were critical to their operation and continued expansion. As was the case for many existing systems, the COVID-19 global crisis served as an operational stress test for LSTs, pushing them to unexpected new limits. The initial spread of COVID-19 brought with it a shutdown of academic institutions followed by a limited reopening that prohibited in-person gatherings and disrupted standard lines of communication upon which LSTs relied. Safety professionals and faculty members were required to take on new duties that were often undefined and time-consuming, substantially impacting their ability to support LSTs. In this case study, we report the impact of this operational stress test on 12 LSTs, detailing the adaptive means by which they survived and highlighting the key lessons learned by the represented LST leaders. The key takeaways were to spend time nurturing relationships with a diverse array of Champions, securing stable funding from multiple sources, and networking with members of LSTs from different institutions to strengthen moral support and broaden ideation for common challenges.

Empowering Student Laboratory Safety Officer Programs to Strengthen Academic Safety Culture

“…This can be in the form of recurring meetings, peer-led walkthroughs, and even safety trainings. 4,5,11 In addition, LSTs often have a liaison for departmental safety committees to serve as a student The LSO position is often created to assist principal investigators (PIs) in the delegation of laboratory safety upkeep. While still assuming full responsibility for laboratory hygiene and safety, PIs often may not see the day-to-day laboratory work.…”

“…The amount of support and overlap between the LSO and LST differs between universities, but the previous literature shows that the development of LST programs has benefitted the safety culture at participating schools. 8,11,12 As mentioned above, the LSO position can be found to be recommended within a federally ubiquitous document, chemical hygiene plans, yet can often be overlooked as an accessible resource to improve safety standards and culture within a department.…”

“…Laboratory safety teams are typically grassroots organizations initiated by graduate students. , While their growth and sustainment are often dependent on department buy-in and funding, their inception typically comes from graduate students concerned with the state of lab safety in their department, sometimes as a response after a major laboratory safety incident. , The LSTs are almost always voluntary organizations: new members join by asking to participate or are recruited. , Often, leadership teams exist in the form of an executive board and committee chairs . These teams are focused on safety conscious programing for the department(s) to promote a better lab safety culture.…”

Spotlights: Hand Sanitizer Fire Dangers, Automatically Generated Safety Plans, the Gap Between Regulations and Practice, and Supporting Student Laboratory Safety Teams

“…The LST network and community has grown steadily since 2012. Key resources have been designed and presented by the LST community to support LST development and continuation, most notably the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Health and Safety (ACS DCHAS) peer-led workshop “Empowering Academic Researchers to Strengthen Safety Culture.” Several case studies have been published on the formation and functioning of such teams. − Currently, no formal mentorship programs are built to support existing LSTs, and communication and collaboration between LSTs have been limited, with some initial cross-institutional collaborations being considered as LST responses to the COVID-19 pandemic . Thus, LST Quick Connections was conceived and implemented.…”

Chemical Safety Knowledge Assessment of Academic Researchers from Brazil during Covid-19 Pandemic

“…The reopening was gradual and limited. 15 Although laboratories faced stressful situations and many challenges daily, some lessons have been learned. The establishment of new leaders and individual actions, in the laboratories, in terms of safety.…”