Printable Laboratory Safety Inspection Checklist
An easy to use checklist to help your lab be prepared for the next Environmental Health and Safety inspection or audit.
Click HERE for a downloadable PDF version
| Laboratory Safety Inspection Checklist | Yes | No | N/A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available and worn properly. | |||
| 2. | Areas around fire extinguishers, pull alarms, eyewashes, showers clear and accessible. | |||
| 3. | Fume hoods free of clutter and stored chemicals. | |||
| 4. | All objects are stored at least 18 inches away from fire sprinklers. | |||
| 5. | Cabinets, furniture, and equipment taller than 4 feet braced or anchored. | |||
| 6. | Lab floors, aisles, and adjacent hallways unobstructed. | |||
| 7. | First aid kits are visible and accessible. | |||
| 8. | Floors are dry and free of slip hazards. | |||
| 9. | Extension cords only used temporarily and power strips not daisy-chained together. | |||
| 10. | No exposed wiring or damaged electrical cords. | |||
| 11. | Chemical spill equipment available and accessible. | |||
| Hazardous Materials and Waste | ||||
| 12. | Workspaces (benchtops, fume hoods, biosafety cabinets) organized and clean. | |||
| 13. | Containers, including for non-hazardous chemicals and water, legibly labeled with the full chemical name, no abbreviations or formulas. | |||
| 14. | Flammable liquids up to 10 gallons, including flammable waste, stored in flammable storage cabinets. | |||
| 15. | Flammable materials requiring refrigeration are placed in explosion-proof or flammables refrigerators only. | |||
| 16. | Food and drinks are stored and consumed away from toxic materials. | |||
| 17. | Hazardous chemicals and oil pumps are stored in adequate secondary containment. | |||
| 18. | Hazardous materials near sinks or drains are in secondary containment. | |||
| 19. | Secondary containers are clean and free of cracks. | |||
| 20. | Sharps are disposed in a proper container that is kept closed. | |||
| 21. | Waste containers are kept closed unless adding waste. | |||
| 22. | Chemical containers and hazardous waste containers are clean, structurally sound and closed. | |||
| 23. | Chemical containers are properly segregated according to hazard class. | |||
| 24. | Hazardous waste containers are labeled with completed waste tags. | |||
| 25. | All hazardous waste in the lab is less than 9 months old. | |||
| 26. | Biohazardous waste is in red bags in hard-sided container which is labeled with Universal Biohazard label on all 4 sides and on top. | |||
| 27. | Biological safety cabinets were certified within the last 12 months. | |||
| 28. | Disinfectants are on hand for sanitizing bench tops and treating spills. | |||
| Compressed Gas | ||||
| 29. | Compressed gas cylinders are listed on the chemical inventory in ChemTracker, positioned so the label is visible, and stored in a dry, well-ventilated location protected from heat sources. | |||
| 30. | Cylinders over 26 inches tall secured to a rigid structure at 1/3 and 2/3 height with metal chains, and a maximum of 2 cylinders used per pair of chains. | |||
| 31. | Cylinder valves are closed and valve caps are in place when cylinder is not in use. | |||
| Radiation Safety | ||||
| 32. | If radioactive material is present, a proper sign is posted on the lab door. | |||
| 33. | Radioactive and/or mixed waste containers are properly labeled. | |||
| 34. | The GM Meter is calibrated. | |||
| 35. | The radioactive material use area is properly marked. | |||
| 36. | The radioactive material storage freezer is properly labeled. | |||
| 37. | Vials of radioactive material within a freezer are stored in a proper “lock box”. |
This is a general list of items to check for. Inspection requirements subject to change based on the nature of your laboratory.
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