Lab, Building and Operational Safety
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we offer essential guidance for laboratory compliance at Texas A&M University, covering everything from the initial Project Safety Analysis (PSA) and equipment certifications to the decommissioning of research spaces. We also provide instructions on shipping hazardous materials, shop safety, and other information you must know to meet university standards and regulatory requirements while prioritizing campus safety and operational excellence.
Engineering Safety
Who should file a PSA?
Principal Investigators (PIs) and laboratory managers initiating new or modified activities involving significant hazards—such as compressed gases, cryogens, high-energy/pressure systems, lasers, or nanomaterials—are required to file a PSA. Additionally, student capstone and competition teams engaging with non-routine hazards should also complete a PSA.
When should I begin the PSA process?
It's best to start as early as possible. Ideally, initiate the process during the planning or design phase or before purchasing or installing equipment. This proactive approach ensures that safety requirements are integrated into the setup rather than addressed afterward.
How do I initiate a PSA?
To get started, download the PSA template and draft the essential sections. Once completed, email us your PSA so our team can review it and schedule a walkthrough if necessary.
Do I need to update the PSA if my project changes?
Yes, updates are necessary. Re-submit your PSA for review if there are changes in materials, scale, equipment, location, procedures, or if any incidents or near-misses reveal new hazards.
Can I begin work before PSA approval?
No, hazardous work must not commence until the PSA is approved, all required training is completed, and the necessary controls are in place.
Can I request a lab safety consultation or site visit? if so, how?
Absolutely! To request a consultation or a site visit, please email the Engineering Safety team with your Principal Investigator's name, the building/room number, a brief description of the scope, and your preferred dates. We will confirm a virtual meeting or arrange an on-site review.
What about renovations or new equipment installations?
It's important to engage the EHS team early in the process. Provide sketches or vendor drawings to ensure that ventilation, gas cabinets, detection systems, interlocks, utilities, and code compliance are addressed before any purchase or construction.
Lab Safety
Which laboratory safety training is required for my role?
All lab personnel—including PIs, managers, and students—must complete General Laboratory Safety Training (Classroom) before starting work. Additional modules are needed for specific hazards, such as Cryogenic Safety for liquefied gases or Tier II Inventory Reporting for chemical management. Teaching Assistants must complete the LSTA module to prepare to supervise students.
How can I register for safety training?
Employees (staff, faculty, and paid students) access online training through SSO TrainTraq. Non-employee students should email the Lab Safety Team to receive a temporary password for the TrainTraq External Gateway.
Where can eyewash activation logs be requested?
By emailing the Lab Safety Team or calling 979-845-2132. You must provide the requested quantity, department name, recipient, and TAMU mail stop.
What is the procedure for obtaining "No Food or Drink" or "Not Safe for Flammable Storage" be obtained?
These specific safety labels are provided upon request by the EHS Lab Safety team.
Submit a request to the Lab Safety Team or call 979-845-2132. Provide the department name, recipient, mail stop, and the number of labels needed.
What are the steps for registering or decommissioning a laboratory?
All new or moving labs must register through the Texas A&M BioRAFT portal. First-time Principal Investigators (PIs) are guided by the General Lab Set-up Wizard to identify hazards and personnel. Notify EHS at least three months before vacating a space. Submit the Notice of Laboratory Decommissioning form to trigger consultations with Lab Safety, Radiation Safety, and Biosafety. EHS will conduct a final close-out survey within 30 days of the exit.
What are the main rules for safe chemical storage?
- Segregate chemicals by hazard class (flammables, corrosives, oxidizers, etc.), not alphabetically.
- Label all containers clearly and date them when opened.
- Store hazardous materials below shoulder height and never inside fume hoods.
For eyewash logs or safety labels, email the Lab Safety Team with your request details.
- Do:
- Label all containers
- Date upon receipt or opening
- Store hazardous materials below shoulder height
- Don't:
- Store chemicals in fume hoods
- Store chemicals under sinks or on open benches
What is required to approve laboratory equipment for surplus?
Equipment must be decontaminated according to its specific hazard (chemical, biological, or radiological). You must then attach a completed TAMU Equipment Decontamination Form to the unit. EHS approval is required only for radiological or laser equipment. While EHS approval is generally not required for surplus (except for radiological or laser equipment), Surplus Property may refuse items without visible decontamination documentation.
How can I verify if a fume hood is functioning correctly?
Check that the unit has been certified within the last year. If you smell vapors, do not hear the fan running, or the unit fails a "Kim-wipe" airflow test, email us immediately.
What indicates that a fume hood has passed its certification?
A successful inspection is marked by a white sticker located on the right-hand side of the sash. This sticker must display the inspection date, the inspector's initials, and the average face velocity.
How do I identify a fume hood that has failed inspection?
Failed hoods are tagged with a highly visible "Out of Service" notice on the sash. You must not use the hood for any hazardous materials until it has been repaired and recertified by EHS.
Operational Safety
How is crane access approved for campus locations?
To bring a crane on campus, submit the Crane and Hoist Permit Request form in Campus Optics at least 72 hours before your planned lift.
Crane and Hoist Permit Request form
Approval is required before any crane arrives on site.
Follow all Mobile Crane Safety Procedures outlined below once approved.
Mobile Crane Safety Procedures
In the initial survey of crane operations, look for crane stability, physical obstructions to movement or operations, and proximity of electrical power lines, as well as the following:
Leveling
Has the crane operator set the crane up level and in a position for safe rotation and operation?
Outriggers
Are the outriggers, where applicable, extended and being used in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations?
Stability
The relationship of the load weight, angle and boom, and its radius (the distance from the crane's center of rotation to the center of load) to the center of gravity of the load. Also, the condition of crane loading in which the load movement acting to overturn the crane is less than the moment available to the crane to resist overturning.
Structural Integrity
The crane’s main frame, crawler, track and outrigger supports, boom sections, and attachments are all considered part of the structural components of lifting. In addition, all wire ropes, including those for stationary supports, contribute to the crane's lifting capacity and are structural elements.
Access to Job Site
The site must be secured with barricades (e.g., caution tape or fencing) to prevent unauthorized entry by faculty, staff, students, visitors, and construction personnel. The barricades must encompass the length of the boom, extended by 10%, plus the area the boom would swing if the crane were to encounter a critical failure.
Occupied Buildings
Occupied buildings within the lift area must be evacuated to ensure the lift area is covered.
Crane operators and personnel working with cranes must be knowledgeable about basic crane capacities and limitations, as well as specific job-site restrictions, such as access constraints, the location of overhead electric power lines, high winds, and inclement weather. Personnel working around crane operations also need to be aware of hoisting activities and any job restrictions imposed by crane operations, and to ensure crane job-site coordination. Crane operators should be aware of these issues and, before starting crane activity, take time to observe the overall crane operations with respect to load capacity, site coordination, and any job site restrictions in effect.
Accidents can be avoided by careful job planning. The person in charge must have a clear understanding of the work to be performed and consider all potential dangers at the job site. A safety plan must be developed for the job and must be explained to all personnel involved in the lift.