The University requires safety training for laboratory personnel to insure that they are adequately informed about physical and health hazards present within the laboratory and methods for minimizing the risks of exposure. “Laboratory personnel” include faculty, staff, and students who work in a laboratory setting. For this document the term “laboratory personnel” applies as well to graduate and post-doctoral fellows and visiting scientists who work in laboratories. Required training is determined by job duties and the specific hazards within the lab.
Your Training History
You can verify what courses you have taken through UTLearn > Learning > View Your Transcript > Completed (under the “Active” pull-down menu).
Required Training for all Laboratory Personnel
- OH 101 Hazard Communication (General) - Required for all lab personnel working with or around hazardous chemicals.
- OH 102 Hazard Communication (Site-Specific) - Taught by the laboratory's Principal Investigator or Supervisor. The training must be documented using the standardized HazCom Training Record - Labs Site-Specific (PDF) with checklist covering training topics that is available from EHS. Required for all lab employees working with or around hazardous chemicals.
- OH 201 Laboratory Safety - Required for all lab personnel working with hazardous chemicals or biological materials.
- OH 202 Hazardous Waste Management - Required for all personnel, including faculty, staff, and students who work in a laboratory using hazardous chemicals or biological materials.
- OH 238 Laboratory Safety Refresher - Required 3 years after OH 201 is completed for all lab personnel working with hazardous chemicals or biological materials and every 3 years thereafter.
- FF 205 Fire Extinguisher Use - Required for all lab personnel. See Fire Prevention Services for more information.
Additional Courses
To assist lab departments with maintaining training requirements, EHS offers these additional courses:
- OH 204 Compressed Gases - Compressed gas cylinders can be extremely hazardous when misused or abused. Compressed gas cylinders present a variety of hazards due to their pressure and/or content.. This course is required for anyone who works in a lab with these cylinders.
- OH 207 Biological Safety - Required for all lab employees working with biological hazards, e.g., infectious agents and recombinant DNA.
- OH 218 Bloodborne Pathogens - Required annually for all personnel working in labs with human blood or tissues.
- OH 221 Controlled Substances in Research - Required every 3 years for personnel working in a lab with controlled substances.
- OH 241 Cryogen Safety - This training provides a general overview for the use of cryogens. This course is required for anyone who works in a lab with cryogens.
- OH 301 Basic Radiological Health - Required for all users of radioactive materials.
- OH 304 Laser Safety Training – Required for users of Class IIIb (3b) and / or Class IV (4) lasers
- OH 601 Dry Ice Shipping - Required for all workers involved in dry ice shipments. Required every two years.
- OH 304 Laser Safety - Required for all users of Class 3B and 4 lasers.
- OH 306 X-ray Safety - Required for all users of radiation (x-ray) producing machines.
- If you are interested in learning more about the training requirements to ship hazardous materials, see Shipping Research Materials.
Responsibilities of PI/Lab Supervisors
PIs/lab supervisors are required to ensure all their personnel receive proper training, and to provide Site-Specific Hazard Communication training to “laboratory personnel” and students who work in labs. PIs/lab supervisors are responsible for ensuring that all training is properly documented and that individuals working in their labs do not engage in activities for which they have not been trained.
EHS Courses and Enrollment
Lab personnel can request online courses through UTLearn. As the employee training management system, UTLearn is accessible only by active UT Austin employees (faculty, staff, or student employee). Non-employee students needing to take EHS courses may request access to UTLearn through self-registration. Self-registration is currently limited to only students required to complete EHS training. These students and/or supervisors who manage student safety training should contact EHS_Training@austin.utexas.edu to request the URL for the self-registration process.