Empowering Student Laboratory Safety Officer Programs to Strengthen Academic Safety Culture

A student Laboratory Safety Officer (LSO) program formalizes a position often found within academic institutions. Through clearly defined responsibilities and effective communication between an LSO and their principal investigators, environmental health and safety office, and department administrators, this program can be effectively used to establish a baseline for safety standards. This article outlines pathways for an institution to establish or strengthen a student LSO program. The strength within this program goes beyond defined responsibilities, where the program’s initiatives can deepen a department-wide community while improving access to resources and advancing leadership skills. The common hurdles faced by these programs are discussed at length for new and existing programs to gain insights into how to address those obstacles while also elucidating the pathways to empower the program. Faculty and student buy-in is fundamental for the success of this program, which often is best addressed by giving visibility to the program itself and its outstanding participants. This article gives an overview of laboratory safety teams (LSTs), a separate graduate student-led laboratory safety initiative, and how an LST can be used to support and even serve as an LSO program. The implementation of a student LSO program has the potential to foster a greater sense of community and safety culture within a department, while giving students the opportunity to enhance their leadership and laboratory skills.