Proceedings of the 2016 Workshop Safety By Design - Improving safety in research laboratories

The principle aim of the 2016 Workshop: Safety By Design was to improve laboratory safety by promoting discussions, collaborative interactions, and problem solving between researchers and environmental health and safety (EH&S) professionals. The workshop provided a platform for participants to learn about effective safety programs and innovative approaches from colleges, universities, national laboratories and chemical industry. The program included talks by leaders in safety management and safety research, panel discussions by researchers and health and safety experts, and breakout sessions in which all participants joined together in small workgroups to explore laboratory safety challenges and provide recommendations for improving safety in specific areas. The workshop participants emphasized that Principal Investigators (PI) are responsible for the health and safety of their students and staff in the laboratory, and are instrumental in shaping a strong culture of safety. The institution's administrative leadership plays an important role in promoting a positive culture of safety through recognition and support of safety activities, and through financial commitment. Recommendations for empowering researchers to engage in laboratory safety were formulated, and the importance of supporting student leadership and involvement in student-led safety programs was underlined. Analysis of the post-workshop survey showed perceptions about laboratory safety changed as a result of participating in the workshop for 85% of researchers and 53% of EH&S professionals. This outcome supports the importance of creating a structured environment where researchers and EH&S experts can exchange ideas and work toward the common goal of safety.