Departmental Safety Training

All personnel working in the Department of Biology in any capacity are required to take safety training. This includes faculty, administrative staff, laboratory staff, graduate students working as a GTA/GRA, undergraduate student workers, and any other student volunteers, including high school students or visitors.

The training of personnel working in a professor’s laboratory will be coordinated by the professor. Personnel should meet with the professor before they begin working in the laboratory at which time the professor will give them a tour of the laboratory pointing out basic safety information, such as the procedures and locations to properly dispose hazardous and infectious wastes, and the locations of all safety aids (eyewash and shower stations, first-aid kit, emergency door lock button, and emergency gas shut-off button), along with when and how to properly use them, and then arrange for them to take Safe Colleges training.

The Safe Colleges training is assigned by the Department of Biology Designated Training Coordinator (DTC), April Weissmiller, April.Weissmiller@mtsu.edu

All personnel have 30 days to complete Safe Colleges training once it is assigned. If you do not complete the assigned training within this timeframe, you will not be allowed to continue to work in the Department. Safe Colleges will send out reminders every 2 weeks but you are encouraged to complete the training as soon as possible. The website to access Safe Colleges training is as follows: https://mtsu-ehs.safecolleges.com/training/home

Professors can enroll new personnel in their laboratory for Safe Colleges training by clicking here

Current mandatory training modules include:

1. Crisis response and recovery
2. Fire extinguisher safety
3. Fire and explosion hazards
4. Biosafety training
5. Hazard communication: right to understand
6. Safety data sheets
7. Science lab safety
8. Slips, trips, and falls
9. Personal protective equipment, PPE
10. MTSU Biology Student Safety Contract for Laboratory Research
11. Bloodborne pathogen exposure training (position specific)

If the research laboratory you work in involves research with human cell lines and/or animals, you are also required to take the Bloodborne pathogen exposure training (#11 above). Your professor must contact the DTC prior to initiating research if you need to be assigned this module.

Instructions for the Professor

If you have new members join your laboratory, please email the DTC with the following information: Name, MTSU ID number, MTSU email, and start date.

If the person is a visitor, such as a high school student, they will need to start the MTSU application process for new students which generates a MTSU ID number and MTSU email.

If you have members leave your laboratory, please email the DTC with their name and end-date so that they can be removed from any additional trainings.

Ultimately you are responsible for ensuring personnel in your laboratory are fully trained to work in the Department of Biology. While Safe Colleges will store all completed course certificates, you are encouraged to have your lab members provide you proof of course completion as well.

Note:  Depending on the type of research your laboratory conducts, not all mandatory training modules may apply to your lab members. If this is the case, you should contact the DTC with details on the position so that a tailored training program can be provided.