This online training is intended for those working, researching or studying in wet laboratory spaces at uOttawa, such as research labs within the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Social Sciences, including principal investigators, support staff, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and visitors/volunteers.

Please note that this workshop is not intended for students in civil engineering (CVG), mechanical engineering (MCG) or electrical engineering and computer science (EECS). Students in these programs should complete the Dry Lab Risk Management training instead. For further information, contact the Faculty of Engineering’s health, safety and risk manager.

The content of this online training is structured with the assumption that participants have basic knowledge of the University’s occupational health and safety programs. Therefore, participants are encouraged to complete the following workshops beforehand:

• Worker Health and Safety Awareness
  • Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness (where applicable)
• WHMIS 2015 for Laboratory Workers

Since this is a general workshop, the participant will likely require subsequent training, which may include:

• Autoclave Safety
• Biosafety Training
• Principles of Laser Safety
• Radiation Safety
• Spill Response
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG)
• Additional training specified by your supervisor

The basic training consists of ten (10) modules, and the content is provided on web pages for the user to self-navigate, read, understand and apply their knowledge throughout. At the conclusion of the self‑guided online training is a quiz, which must be completed in order to receive credit for the workshop in your LRS learning profile. The participant must log in to their LRS account in order to access the quiz. The passing score for the quiz is 75%, with multiple attempts permitted. There are mini‑quizzes spaced throughout the workshop; these quizzes are not graded and are intended to provide feedback as part of the learning experience.

There is no specific workshop duration. Users may take as much time as they feel is needed in order to understand the content and concepts presented. Users are encouraged to refer to the hyperlinks throughout the workshop, as these contain additional information that is relevant to the subject matter.

The workshop may be completed in multiple sittings; however, it is recommended that you bookmark the page that you left off on so you can quickly resume your work.

Each worker (academic and support staff) and student has an account on the LRS system. All personnel completing the lab safety workshop are encouraged to use their worker account (where possible). Access is available through single sign-on authentication. Persons external to uOttawa (such as volunteers in a lab) may obtain a visitor account by following these steps:

• Navigate to web47.uottawa.ca/en/lrs.
• In the upper right corner of the screen, click on “Create a profile.”
• Complete the account request form, including your:
  • First name
  • Last name
  • Email address
  • Username
  • Password
  • Preferred language of correspondence
  • Reason for the account

IT will validate the account, and further instructions will be sent to the provided email address within 24 hours. The visitor account may be used to register for any workshop on the LRS, including other health and safety-related workshops.

Upon successful completion of the online training and quiz, the LRS will email a certificate of completion to the user’s University email address (or the address provided during account creation). Supervisors have direct access to their worker’s LRS profile, which allows a supervisor to verify that the worker has completed their necessary training. Graduate students and research associates are encouraged to provide a copy of their lab safety certificate to their supervisor as proof of completion.

As this workshop builds off existing training at uOttawa, please review the following general refreshers:

• In the event of an emergency on campus (including injury or spill), contact Protection Services at ext. 5411 (or by cellphone at 613-562-5411). Any person may call 911; however, Protection Services has a more intimate knowledge of the campus and can respond in a more expeditious manner. Protection Services is also familiar with campus nomenclature.

• For non-emergencies (general information, reporting a non-urgent situation, etc.), contact Protection Services at ext. 5499 (or by cellphone at 613-562-5499).
• Where necessary, such as during a fire, calmly evacuate the building using the nearest stairway (never use elevators). Shut off the gas supply and compressed gas cylinders and close (but do not lock) doors behind you.
• All accidents, illnesses, property damage and potential hazards must be reported to your direct supervisor and via the Accident, Incident, Occupational Disease or Near Miss report form.
• Ensure you review the general emergency procedures, including how they apply specifically to laboratories, such as the procedures for:
  • Earthquakes
  • Fire, smoke or gas
  • Hazardous materials
  • Flooding or significant water leaks
  • Power failures
• Familiarize yourself with the locations of the nearest emergency equipment, including emergency exit routes, emergency showers, emergency eyewashes, fire extinguishers, first aid kits and spill kits.