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New Personal Protective Equipment in Wet Laboratories Standard released
22 May 2023
The Personal Protective Equipment in Wet Laboratories Standard is designed to protect people who work with or around hazardous chemical and biological substances. It outlines organisational requirements and arrangements that departments must adhere to if they work in wet labs.
The UCL Work Health and Safety Committee has approved a new UCL Standard for wearing Personal Protective Equipment in wet laboratories (PPE in Wet Labs Standard).
A wet laboratory is an area used to handle chemical or biological substances where there is a potential risk of spill, splash or exposure that could potentially cause harm to people. This Standard marks an important step in our safety journey as it improves our legal compliance, brings us into line with standard industry practice and reaffirms our commitment that “Nothing that we do is so important that it cannot be done safely”.
What’s changing?
This Standard will make the use of PPE including lab coats and eye protection mandatory in wet labs. Those who manage, supervise or approve wet lab work have a specific responsibility to proactively enforce this Standard and ensure it is followed.
Guidance for completing risk assessments
Risk assessments for activities using chemical or biological substances must include control measures for the risk of spills and splashes. Safety Services has provided guidance to help departments ensure that the need for PPE is considered as a control measure.
> Risk assessment – PPE as a control measure in wet laboratories
Why are we doing this?
It is a legal requirement that we take reasonably practicable steps to reduce risk of injury and appropriate PPE can significantly reduce the risk of injury from splashes, spills and exposure in a wet lab. The use of PPE has made serious eye injuries at work rare in the UK workplace and now we can ensure similar standards always apply here at UCL.
We should never forget the profound impact a serious injury can have on an individual and their loved ones. Wearing PPE is never a personal choice where it is required to reduce risk of injury.
Where can I get further information?
> Personal Protective Equipment within Wet Laboratories Standard
> Risk assessment – PPE as a control measure in wet laboratories
> Personal Protective Equipment
> Shared Personal Protective Equipment
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