Laboratory Inspection Program

Laboratories are among the areas with the highest risk at a university. This page is designed to help researchers and support staff achieve the highest level of success on annual laboratory inspections. All the information you need to be successful can be found below. And, as always, if you have questions, feel free to contact us.

Goals and Objectives of the Laboratory Inspection Program

The goals and objectives of the University of Memphis EHS Laboratory Inspection Program are to:

1. Identify high risk safety and compliance conditions within the lab,
2. Provide recommendations for safety compliance and best practices within laboratories,
3. Schedule inspection dates and allow for appointments if necessary,
4. Identify items for inspection prior to the appointment, and explain why the items are included,
5. Ensure those responsible for labs are part of the process (unless refused by principal investigator),
6. Perform the inspection in the presence of a lab representative (principal investigator or designee),
7. Explain deficiencies found during the inspection at the moment they are identified,
8. Report the majority of the findings to the principal investigator,
9. Prioritize the identified deficiencies and determine an appropriate course of corrective action,
10. Revisit labs to ensure the correction of deficiencies of high consequence or number,
11. Promote EHS laboratory support services available to lab researchers,
12. Conduct laboratory inspections in a professional, courteous manner.
13. Adhere to all of the safety rules deemed necessary by the principal investigator and EHS.

Lab Inspection Documents

Below are links to the documents that are useful in preparing for a laboratory inspection. 

Lab Inspection SOP- The standard operating procedure EHS uses to conduct the laboratory inspections including the criteria for passing and the escalation of issues found.
Self-Inspection Checklist- An exact copy of the items checked during inspection.
Inspection Cheat Sheet- An explanation of how each item will be graded, so there are no surprises.
Inspection Item Explanation- An explanation of why each item is on the checklist. (coming soon)
Chemical Storage Diagram- A handy diagram showing how chemicals should be stored.
Required Training Rubric- Training required based on position. This is the table we use to determine if all lab users have been properly trained. (coming soon)
Laboratory Questionnaire- The questionnaire completed by lab personnel annually for determining the information for the lab door sign.