All faculty, students, staff, and visitors must wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when in the laboratories. The correct selection and proper use of PPE is an essential element of safe work in the laboratory. Remember that PPE is the last line of protection behind administrative policies, following safe work practices, and exposure control equipment, such as fume hoods.
Action Items For All Labs
Each PI is responsible for the proper selection and use of PPE in the laboratory. To determine the required PPE, complete the lab-specific hazard assessment to document the potential hazards present and the associated level of PPE required.
Groups with multiple lab spaces should conduct an assessment for each space, particularly if the potential hazards vary significantly. Multiple assessments will provide a more accurate representation of the hazards and PPE requirements of a given space.
PPE Process
Complete the following steps to: determine the type of PPE necessary for your research activities, train individuals on the current UC PPE policy, and review specific limitations and appropriate use of designated PPE:
- Review and document specific hazards of your laboratory operations using the laboratory hazard assessment tool
- Review the UC PPE policy and document that each researcher in the laboratory has read and understands the policy – Read the UCOP Policy (PDF)
- Information on different classes and types of PPE is available on the PPE Resource page
- Have PPE available and provide properly sized and fitted PPE for all researchers in the laboratory