Setting up a New Lab

Welcome to the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB)!  If you are setting up a new lab space at UMB, the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) is an essential resource to ensure that your lab is safe and compliant with all state and federal regulations, as well as UMB policies. This page summarizes EHS resources that are often needed by new labs, as well as some common topics and questions.

When you first arrive, or as soon as possible:

Click on an option below to expand with additional information.

Set up your lab profile in SciShield for future lab inspections. ▾

 

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Laboratory Auditing

All labs on campus are audited at least once a year for general lab safety. Labs using radiation or radiation-generating equipment may be inspected more frequently.

UMB uses the SciShield audit management system to track and manage laboratory audits, spaces, hazards, and personnel who may have contact with these hazards.

Reach out to ehsaudits@umaryland.edu with your lab name and room number to create a profile. As soon as possible:

  • Add a research focus
  • Identify your major hazard categories
  • Add all lab members
  • Assign a group compliance liaison/lab manager (optional)

 

Register your work with all applicable EHS committee and programs. ▾

 

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Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

All work with recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, unfixed human materials, pathogens, and potentially pathogenic materials must be registered with the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). 

Contact us if your work involves: 

  • Any recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules
  • Any potentially pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, or prions
  • Any Select Agent or Toxin as listed by the Federal Select Agent Program
  • Infectious materials, including clinical specimens
  • Any unfixed human blood or tissues, or human cell lines

Submit protocols on CICERO.
Radiation Safety Committee (RSC)

All work with radioactive materials or radiation generating equipment must be registered with the Radiation Safety Committee (RSC).

Submit protocols on CICERO.

Controlled Substances Program

Any research use of controlled dangerous substances (CDS) must be registered with the DEA, the Maryland OCSA, and EHS.

See Controlled Substances for guidance on registration requirements.

 

Complete all required EHS training. ▾

 

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 Training  

All personnel must complete lab safety training relevant to their potential work exposures. In most cases, this training is required to be renewed annually.

Though principal investigators may not work at the benchtop themselves, it is important for them to be aware of the regulatory requirements and UMB policies that affect their lab and be able to answer questions from their staff, so PIs are expected to complete training.

Base lab safety modules include:

  1. Bloodborne Pathogens,
  2. Laboratory Chemical Safety, and
  3. Hazardous Waste.

A full summary of training is found here.

Most training modules can be completed online through SciShield. Contact ehstraining@umaryland.edu with any issues or questions.  

 

Request updated door signs. ▾

 

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Door Signs

If you are new to UMB, you will need to update your lab door signs to reflect accurate emergency contact and hazard information. 

Submit door signs through MyEHS.

 

Complete the US NAC survey. ▾

 

TOPIC WHY YOU NEED THIS

US NAC National Inventory for Poliovirus Containment Survey

UMB is committed to cooperating with the World Health Organization's poliovirus eradication effort.

The US National Authority for Containment of Poliovirus (US NAC; operating out of the CDC) has implemented a survey designed for laboratories, storage sites, or other facility types that test, extract, handle, or store biological samples from humans, experimentally infected animals, sewage, or environmental waters. Note that with UMB's largely biomedical focus, this includes nearly all "wet labs" on campus. This survey is not restricted to labs that work directly with poliovirus.

If you are new to UMB, you will need to complete the survey found at the US NAC website. If you do not have material potentially containing poliovirus, the survey is estimated to take approximately 5-10 minutes.

 

 

Additional Common Topics for New Labs

Fume hood certification- Fume hoods are tested annually by EHS in the same month as your general lab inspection. Your fume hood will have a sticker on one side noting if it has passed or failed its most recent test. If your fume hood has failed, do not use it for any chemical or hazardous material work. Submit a Facilities Work Request for repair.

Biosafety cabinet certification- Biosafety cabinets (BSCs) must be certified annually by an outside vendor. For vendor recommendations, please contact ehsaudits@umaryland.edu. BSCs must be decontaminated and recertified anytime they are newly installed or relocated.

Requesting hazardous waste removal- You can request removal of biological, chemical, or radioactive waste using the appropriate Hazardous Waste Removal Online Form.

Waste containers provided by EHS- You can request new biohazard boxes (brown cardboard, with plastic liners) from EHS, as well as containers for liquid and solid hazardous waste. We do not provide sharps containers or broken glass boxes; those must be ordered from standard scientific vendors. 

Human Subjects Research- All research involving human subjects must be registered through the Human Research Protections office. (The Institutional Review Board is administered through this office and not EHS.)

Animal Research- All research involving vertebrate animals must be registered through the Office of Animal Welfare Assurance. (The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is administered through this office and not EHS.)