The Laboratory Safety Manual provides guidance on the safe handling of laboratory material from acquisition to disposal in accordance with U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 29, part 1910.1450 and outlines policies and procedures designed to optimize safety, minimize risk and maintain compliance with Federal, State, and local regulatory requirements. The manual, along with the Laboratory-Specific Safety Plan serves as the chemical hygiene plan for George Mason University and applies to George Mason University research and instructional laboratories located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Manual is accessible to laboratory personnel via the EHS website.
The Laboratory Safety Manual is updated as necessary to reflect changes in the Laboratory Safety Program, university policies and procedures, and governmental regulations. Please direct any questions about the Laboratory Safety Manual and its content to the Environmental Health and Safety Office.
Committment to Safety
Message from the Vice President for Research and the Environmental Health and Safety Office
Dear Fellow Patriots,
George Mason University is committed to providing a safe and healthful environment for staff, students, and affiliates. The University strives to foster a strong, positive safety culture where all members of the Patriot Community are empowered to actively engage in the identification of safety concerns, development and implementation of safety controls and continual evaluation and improvement of the safety of the university. Nowhere is safety more critical than in our instructional and research laboratories. University leadership recognizes the unique hazards present in research and instructional laboratories and is committed to providing the resources necessary to assure the safety of laboratory workers and the laboratory environment.
The Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHS) provide services that support and promote a safe and healthful environment and works cooperatively with the Mason Community to assure the safest possible conditions for all research and instructional spaces.
Vice President for Research
Assistant Vice President, Safety, Emergency, & Enterprise Risk Management
Director, Environmental Health & Laboratory Safety
Assistant Director, Laboratory Safety
Safety Culture in University Laboratories
Resources considered in development of the manual include:
- Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Research Laboratories
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA and Synthetic Nucleic Acids
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Office of Biotechnology Activities
- Prudent Practices in the Laboratory
- United States Department of Agriculture
- United States Department of Transportation
- Virginia Department of Health
- Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
- Occupational Safety and Health Association Laboratory Safety Guidance