Safety
FSHN Safety
Emergency: Call 9-1-1
Non-emergency, unsafe situation: 515-294-4428 (Department of Public Safety, DPS)
Medical treatment and reporting of an accident
The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (FSHN) is committed to providing and ensuring a safe and healthful environment for employees, students, and the general public. It is the intent of these guidelines to promote a community whose members are safety conscious and knowledgeable of the many safety resources available.
Laboratory Safety
Laboratory safety is a top priority for the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. Therefore, the Safety Committee provides forms and safety information for the department to follow. All laboratories are expected to complete the Annual Checklist and maintain a “safety binder” containing the signed and dated safety documentation.
Contacts:
- Urgent repairs: During non-business hours, call DPS (515 294-4428)
- Safety-related questions: Contact department Safety Contact or Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), 515 294-5359.
- Malfunctioning lab equipment: Report this to the professor-in-charge as posted on lab exterior door.
- Routine maintenance: Such as room temperature control, door lock, plumbing or electrical problems or to replace fume hood light bulbs, Contact Facilities Planning and Management (FPM) 515 294-5100.
- Lab- or work-related injuries: Report these (no matter how minor) immediately to your supervisor.
Annual FSHN Safety Checklist and Forms
We have supplied this checklist to help you keep track of all of the various tasks you and your students must do to keep your lab safe. Please check off each item on the Annual-FSHN Department Safety Checklist 2018-2019 (pdf) as it is completed. The checklist is due January 7, 2019 to the FSHN Safety Committee. The faculty member needs to be involved in the training, so please review, and sign this document. You may send this to the attention of Jeanne Stewart at jws1@iastate.edu. Each item on the checklist has links to find the information/form that you need to complete the task. We also included the navigation steps to the appropriate website as part of the Annual FSHN Department Safety Checklist.
Research Requirements
Before beginning research, lab personnel must perform a safety training needs assessment through EH&S. Use the following resources for other requirements to specific types of research
| Participants | Helpful Tips | |
|---|---|---|
| Human participants | Institutional Review Board (IRB) | Protecting Human Research Participants Department of Health & Human Services, Food & Drug Administration |
| Animals | Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Procedure for ordering animals Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals | |
| Radioactive materials or radiation-producing devices | Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) | Radiation Safety (EH&S) Radioactive Waste (EH&S) |
| Biohazards including: Recombinant DNATransgenic plants/animals Pathogenic microorganisms Biological toxins | Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) | NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
Other useful resources:
Beginning Research in an FSHN Research Lab
New graduate student or student employee
The New Student Safety Checklist (doc) is a guide for itemizing the steps required before a new graduate student or student employee may begin work in a laboratory.
New faculty and/or staff
The New Faculty/Staff Safety Checklist (doc) is a guide for setting up a new lab and itemizing the steps required to begin work in the lab.
Ending Research in an FSHN Research Lab to Start Your Career, Change Location or Enjoy Retirement
Undergraduate students, graduate students and post doc employees
FSHN Student, Post Doc Lab Checkout 2018 (PDF) is a guide for itemizing the steps required before a undergrad or graduate student or Post Doc employee must perform before leaving the laboratory.
Faculty or staff
FSHN Faculty or Staff Lab Checkout 2018 (PDF) is a guide for itemizing the steps required before a Faculty or Staff employee must perform before leaving the laboratory.
New Research Technique or Changing to a Different Lab Location
Documentation of these safety requirements must be placed in the lab safety binder.
New research technique safety guidance
Before a new research technique may be performed in the lab, the PI must provide guidance to lab personnel in completing a Hazard Inventory form, perform a needs assessment that can be found on the EH&S website, and create new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and train personnel.
Lab personnel changing lab locations
Before lab personnel may begin working in a different lab, they must perform a needs assessment that can be found on the EH&S website, be trained on SOPs, complete a Hazard Inventory form, and undergo lab-specific safety training.
Safety Seminars
View the FSHN Safety Seminars to note important safety changes each year.
Top Safety Fixes
Post Top Ten Safety Violations (doc) as a guide to prevent problems in chemical labs.
Alternate PI Policy
All primary investigators (PI) must designate an alternate (doc) to be responsible for the lab in their absence.
Professor in Charge
The Professor-in-Charge List (doc) designates the person in charge of each FSHN laboratory by room number and building.
Shared Equipment
The List of Shared Equipment (doc) indicates the professor-in-charge of shared department laboratory instruments. Contact the professor-in-charge for instructions and questions about the equipment.