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Laboratory Research

UC Merced offers students many opportunities to engage in laboratory research. In order to participate in research, certain safety guidelines must be followed to mitigate risks and promote individual growth. Once a student is accepted into a research laboratory, a series of steps shall be followed to meet all necessary guidelines.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) information here.

The steps are outlined below.

What should I do once I am accepted into a laboratory to conduct research?

  1. Each incoming student shall complete all relevant safety training. Safety training registration is completed through the UC Learning Center (UCLC).
    • At a minimum, all laboratory personnel must complete the following:
      1. Laboratory Safety Fundamentals (offered as an online course through the UCLC)
    • Additional courses, see examples click here, might be required depending on the nature of the lab's research.
  2. Each incoming student shall be added by the principal investigator (PI) to the lab group's online Laboratory Hazard Assessment Tool (LHAT). Once added to LHAT, each student must complete the online training and quiz regarding the hazards present in the laboratory. This tool is used to determine the required personal protective equipment (PPE) that will be issued to each student by EH&S.
    • Do not create your own LHAT.  Sign into your PI's LHAT.
    • For EH&S PPE store hours, please see the Obtaining PPE.
  3. Students should request that their PI provide access to the lab space via CatCard.

What should I do if I observe unsafe practices or improper use and/or disposal of materials in the lab?

  1. If you feel comfortable, report the incident(s) to your PI.
  2. Contact EH&S to report a safety concern using our online web form (this can be done anonymously, but if you wish to receive feedback from EH&S, you will need to provide us with your contact information).

What do I do once I leave the lab?

  1. Return all EH&S-issued PPE to EH&S by following the procedures outlined below.
    • Lab coats: Use a black marker to deface or scratch out your name from the identification sticker on the lab coat and place the coat in your laundering drop-off location. Lab coats with scratched out names will automatically be retained by EH&S.
  2. Leave all research-related materials in the lab (such as lab notebooks, electronic copies of data and results, etc.) as these are property of the UC Regents.
  3. Ensure your PI has removed you from his or her lab group in LHAT once your PPE has been returned to EH&S, and that you no longer have access to the laboratory space via CatCard.