Laboratory Safety Program
The University of Calgary’s Laboratory Safety Program is a foundational program supporting all laboratory activities and applies to all persons under the auspices of the University of Calgary working in a laboratory for research and/or teaching purposes.
The Laboratory Safety Program is designed to monitor and promote compliance with applicable federal and provincial legislation including acts, codes, regulations, standards, and other directives. Program documents further outline general best practice guidelines, and they contain additional requirements that go beyond regulatory requirements to effectively manage risks and make UCalgary laboratories a safe working environment.
Contact Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) to ensure that the proposed laboratory space meets minimum health and safety requirements and is suitable for the intended purpose (e.g. research, teaching, equipment, storage, etc.). Principal investigators, managers, and supervisors must complete Lab Onboarding with EHS.
All questions and inquiries regarding Laboratory Safety should be directed to ucsafety@ucalgary.ca
Workshops are to follow the Laboratory Safety Program documents, as necessary.
Environment, Health and Safety offers Laboratory Safety Training.
The Laboratory Safety Manual is to be reviewed annually and appropriate actions taken as specified below.
The Laboratory Safety Manual may take the form of a physical binder or may be in an electronic format as long as requirements are met. Requirements include Supervisor authorization/approval and accessibility of documents/records to lab personnel, EHS, auditors, etc. It is important to document that records exist and where they can be located.
'Retain' is defined as: keep in printed or digital format in the manual.
'File' is defined as: keep in printed format in the manual.
File under this tab. Last revised: 2024.04.16.
Complete and retain records under this tab. Keep for three years after the person has left the lab. Last revised: 2024.04.16.
- Emergency Procedures Template - Complete and file under this tab for the specific buildings in which lab personnel work. Last revised: 2018.11.01.
- Emergency Shower and Eyewash Standard - Review and follow standard. Print Weekly Activation and Flushing of Emergency Eyewash Record and place in Record Holder on Emergency Station (if present), otherwise file in manual under this tab. Retain the past three years worth of records under this tab. Last revised 2018.12.12.
- Spill Response Procedure - File under this tab. Last revised: 2014.03.11.
- Spill Response Contents and Instructions - File under this tab. Last revised: 2014.01.07.
- Laboratory Placard Instructions - Review before completing or updating the Laboratory Placard. Last revised: 2018.12.14.
- Laboratory Placard - Complete, print in color and post outside all entrances to lab spaces. Last revised: 2018.12.14.
- Laboratory Safety Rules - Review and follow rules. Last revised: 2015.10.25.
- Laboratory Safety Rules Poster - Request a copy from EHS and post inside lab, near the entrance(s) to all lab space(s). Last revised: 2011.06.17.
- Movement of Hazardous Materials Within Buildings Guidelines - Review and follow guidelines. Last revised: 2009.09.09.
- Laboratory Check-Out Standard & Procedure - Review and follow standard; complete procedure. Last revised 2023.10.17.
- Visitors Accessing Laboratories Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2013.08.16.
- Working Alone Program - Review and follow guidelines.
- Guidelines for Working Alone, After-Hours and Unattended Operations in Labs - Last revised: 2024.01.30
- Young Persons Accessing Laboratories Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2019.06.24.
- Young Persons Accessing Laboratories Departmental Approval and Informed Consent, Risk Acknowledgement and Indemnity Agreement - Complete and retain under this tab. Last revised 2022.01.20.
- Young Persons Accessing Laboratories Hazard Assessment and Control Form (2019) – Complete and retain under this tab. Last revised: 2019.06.24.
- Codes of Practice - Review and follow Code of Practice as applicable.
- Standard Operating Procedures Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2010.01.27.
- Standard Operating Procedure Template - Complete and retain lab-specific Standard Operating Procedures under this tab. Last revised: 2013.05.29.
- Chemical Storage and Waste Handling Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2022.07.06.
- Compressed Gas Cylinder Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2025.05.09.
- Controls Table for Compressed Gasses, Cryogenic Liquids, Other- Review, complete and retain with HACF. Issued: August 2021.
- Hazardous Waste Disposal Infographic - Review and follow guidelines. Last revised: 2022.05.10
- Fume Hood Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2023.06.21.
- Personal Protective Equipment Program - Review and follow program. Last revised: 2017.02.22.
- Nanomaterials Program - Review and follow program. Last revised: 2022.05.05.
- Nanomaterials Internal Inventory Form - Review and follow program. Last revised: 2017.11.30.
- Cryogenic Materials Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2018.02.02.
- Cryogenic Materials Standard (Supplemental Information) - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2021.11.19.
- Corrosive Materials Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised 2024.05.14.
- Oxidizing Materials Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised 2024.05.14.
- Toxic Materials Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised 2024.05.14.
- Autoclave Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2023.12.12.
Chematix™ is a chemical management software solution used at the University of Calgary for a variety of Environment, Health and Safety program functions.
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Laboratory Setup Instructions
Last revised 2018.12.18.
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Chemical Inventory Instructions
Last revised 2023.10.04
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Perpetual Chemical and Compressed Gas Inventory Instructions
Issued 2022.10.31.
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Chemical Reconciliation Instructions
Last revised date: 2024.01.29
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Hazardous Waste Disposal Instructions
Last revised 2021.04.08.
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Annual Key Actions Instructions
Last revised 2024.01.02
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Laboratory Compliance Inspection Corrective Action Instructions
Issued 2018.05.09.
Container Barcode Labels
Chemical containers are added to the chemical inventory using pre-printed, unassigned container barcodes (1 x 0.5 inch in size) which are provided by EHS and can be collected from locations listed below.
Follow Chemical Inventory Instructions and Perpetual Chemical and Compressed Gas Inventory Instructions to add chemical containers to inventory in Chematix (see Chematix Instructions dropdown).
Storage Unit Barcode Labels
Storage unit barcodes are printed by Chematix users on Avery Label sheets using any laser printer on Campus. Avery Label sheets (30 labels per sheet, label size 2 5/8 x 1 inch) are provided by EHS and can be collected from locations listed below.
Follow Chemical Inventory Instructions to set up storage units and to print storage unit barcodes (see Chematix Instructions dropdown).
Locations to collect labels
Main Campus
- Faculty of Science: Science Stores, SB 50; Bio Sciences Stores, BI 35
- Schulich School of Engineering: Engineering Workshop, ENA 03
- Faculty of Kinesiology: Human Performance Lab, KNB 103B
- UService: Math Sciences MS 773 – Walk-In hours: Tue/Wed/Thu – 1:00pm to 4:30 pm only, see UService website
- Faculty of Arts: Arts Building and Parkade, AB 748
- EHS office: MacKimmie Tower (MT). Please email chematix@ucalgary.ca with a request prior to collection.
Foothills Campus
- Foothills Distribution Services, Mail Room, HSC B808 - Check Distribution Services website for Hours of Operation
Spy Hill Campus
- Clinical Skills Building, Clean Stores, CSB 138
Chematix barcode scanners to assist with the chemical reconciliation process are available to sign out from the following locations:
Main Campus
- Faculty of Science: Connect with instrumentation or teaching staff
- Schulich School of Engineering: Engineering Workshop, ENA 03
- Faculty of Kinesiology: Human Performance Lab, KNB 103B
- Faculty of Arts: Arts Building and Parkade, AB 748; Earth Sciences ES 918
- EHS office: MacKimmie Tower (MT). Please email chematix@ucalgary.ca with a request prior to collection.
Foothills Campus
- Foothills Distribution Services, Mail Room, HSC B808 - Check Distribution Services website for Hours of Operation
Spy Hill Campus
- Clinical Skills Building, Clean Stores, CSB 138
Follow Chemical Reconciliation Instructions to reconcile the chemical inventory (see Chematix Instructions dropdown).
Hazard Alerts are an informational safety tool developed by EHS to document and share hazards across the university. The alerts are designed to capture real incidents, root causes, and provide recommendations to prevent recurrences.
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Laboratory Safety
- Heat Gun Fire
- Back Injury caused by Improper Lifting
- Chemical Spill
- Bunsen Burner Flash Fire
- Chemical Splash in Eye
- Adherence to PPE requirements
- Mercury Spill and Exposure
- Legacy Chemicals and Wastes
- Near-miss Dewar Leak Incident
- Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Awareness
- Pressure Vessel Causing Injury
- Unauthorized lab access
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Biosafety
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Radiation Safety
- Hazardous Products Act and Regulations (WHMIS)
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation and Code
- Transportation of Dangerous Good Act and Regulations
- Export and Import Permits Act
- Chemical Weapons Convention Declaration
- Canadian Environmental Protection Act and Regulations
Biosafety Program
The University of Calgary has developed a Biosafety Program to assist all persons involved in the purchasing, handling, storage or disposal of biohazards for research and teaching purposes; to promote and monitor compliance with both federal and provincial legislation over biosafety and biosecurity.
Radiation Safety Program
The University of Calgary has developed a Radiation Safety Program to assist in the requirements for compliance to both federal and provincial legislation/guidelines pertaining to the acquisition, use and disposal of radioactive materials, and radiation emitting devices (X-ray units and lasers).