Published June 11, 2021
How and when we conduct research has changed dramatically over the past 15 months. Working alone is not unique to alternate operations due to COVID-19; however, situations where researchers needed to work alone increased during this time. While conducting research activities alone in the laboratory may be necessary and is part of our research environment, the past 15 months have raised our collective awareness around the risks associated with working alone.
Based on this, Environmental Healthy and Safety (EH&S) has created Guidelines for Working Alone in Research Laboratories​ to assist researchers in recognizing, assessing and minimizing the risks associated with working alone in laboratories. Whether you already have a plan in place to address lone work or it is something you have not yet considered, these guidelines can provide a good basis for plan review or help get you started.
Over the past nine months, EH&S has been working with numerous faculty and staff stakeholders to obtain feedback and guidance regarding working alone in research laboratories. Special thanks to all of those who have been involved to date!
If you have questions or concerns or need any assistance evaluating lone work concerns in your lab, please reach out to EH&S.