Lab Manager Responsibilities

Orientation to laboratory procedures

 (required before granting access to laboratory)

• Review research plan 
• procurement of chemicals and supplies
• chemical storage
• waste minimization
• Standard Operating Procedures for Hazardous chemicals
• Instrument use procedures
• Laboratory Courtesy
• Confirmation of Laboratory Safety training
• Use of common areas including
  • maintenance of instrument expendables
  • maintenance of common-use reagents

Space assignment

Assignment to specific work areas will be done by your major advisor in consultation with the laboratory manager.

Periodic laboratory inspection

• compliance with EPA waste disposal
• OSHA chemical labeling and storage requirements 
• overall neatness
• Personal Protective Equipment

Exit Inspection

• An exit inspection is required before graduation or before taking a leave of absence
• All chemicals in secondary containers must be disposed of in an approved manner or passed on to a peer who is willing to assume responsibility for the chemicals
• All experimental apparatus must be disassembled and returned to storage or discarded. In certain instances a fellow student or a faculty advisor may assume responsibility for experimental apparatus. If this is the case the person assuming responsibility for the apparatus must sign the form.
• All glass ware and plastic ware must be washed and returned to storage.
• Personal belongings must be removed from the laboratory.

Exit Release Form

• A senor member of the research group or a peer who works in the laboratory must sign the release form stating that they assume responsibility for any residual cleanup that may be required.
• The laboratory manager must sign the form noting which areas of the lab were inspected and confirming that they met expectations.

Areas to inspect include

• All instruments used by the researcher (Verify that reagents and standards used by the researcher have been discarded and that the area is neat and clean.)
• Common work areas used by the researcher (fume hoods, laminar flow hoods, constant temperature rooms)
• Work space assigned to the researcher
  • drawers and cabinets neat, clean, and organized
  • bench top completely empty and wiped down
  • all chemicals returned to the stockroom or chemical storage cabinet