We take safety very seriously and consider it a top priority to provide clean and safe workspaces in of our labs and classrooms.

Emergency Procedures within Black Engineering
– For any accidents, refer to the ISU ES&H webpage about Accidents and Incidents

• Near misses (an accident that almost happened but no injury or property/equipment damage occurred)
• Injuries (an accident that results in any physical injury)
• Incidents (an accident that results in property or equipment damage)
• Lab issues
• Safety issues
• Equipment questions

– For fire or inclement weather events (extreme heat, flooding, lightning, or tornado), check the floor-by-floor emergency maps for Black Engineering Building.
– In the event you find someone who is unconscious, call 9-1-1 immediately and get the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) located in the lobby outside the third floor elevator.
– If you notice any suspicious activity, call the ISU Department of Public Safety at (515) 294-4428 or call 911 if it’s an emergency.
– To report an employee and student incident (must be reported within 24 hours of occurrence):
Employees should contact Occupational Medicine at McFarland Clinic by calling (515) 239-4496.
Students should contact Thielen Student Health Center at 2260 Sheldon Ave., (515) 294-5801.
– In the event of a mental health crisis that requires urgent counseling for any reason, call (515) 294-5056; during after hours, call (515) 290-3642. Business hours during fall and spring semesters are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Business hours during summer semesters and academic breaks are 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
– Campus emergency alert:
Sign up or update ISU Alert Information to receive telephone, text message and email alerts of potentially dangerous situations on campus.

IMSE Safety Training Requirements
The IMSE Safety and Health Committee has mandated the following trainings be completed for IMSE laboratory access:
– Laboratory Safety: Core Concepts
– Fire Safety and Fire Extinguisher Safety (online)
– Emergency Response Guide Video

Safety Training for Lab Personnel (PDF)

IMSE Research and Instructional Labs + Fieldwork Policies
IMSE Research and Instructional Laboratories and Field Work Safety Policies and Guidelines

IMSE Safety Training on Learn@ISU
The IMSE Safety, Health and Space Committee has developed trainings that are hosted on Learn@ISU. These trainings can be assigned as additional training requirements by PIs, laboratory supervisors, course instructors, student groups and others within IMSE. Learn@ISU can be linked to Canvas, and custom IMSE training content can be assigned using the IMSE Safety Training Platform Procedures developed by the committee. Email Aaron Jordan ajjordan@iastate.edu to request more information.

Starting a New Project or Procedure
Use these resources when starting a new project or procedure within IMSE:
Office for Responsible Research
Research & Intellectual Property
Safety & Health
Waste and Recycling Guidelines
Chemical Inventory
EH&S Standard Operating Procedures Development

New to IMSE? Start Here:

For PI’s, Researchers, Grad Students, & Post Docs – Lab Check-In Form

Identify Hazards for New or Existing Lab Procedures
Complete a Lab Hazard Assessment annually for existing lab equipment or when purchasing new lab equipment to identify and track potential hazards

IMSE Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Library
The ISU Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) provides these standard operating procedures (SOPs) as a starting point for researchers to develop SOPs that are tailored to the specific circumstances of the researcher’s lab. These SOPs have been submitted by Iowa State University researchers and staff and EH&S makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of their content for any specific lab. EH&S expressly disclaims any warranty or liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this site. All of these EH&S SOPs and other SOPs developed by IMSE can be found in the Learn@ISU course catalog and are now available for assignment as training.
ES&H SOP Template

IMSE Instructor Laboratory Safety Guidelines
The IMSE Safety, Health and Space Committee has developed trainings that are hosted on Learn@ISU. These trainings can be assigned as additional training requirements by course instructors and others within IMSE. Learn@ISU can be linked to Canvas, and existing EH&S safety training materials and custom IMSE training content hosted on Learn@ISU can be assigned using the IMSE Safety Training Platform Procedures developed by the committee. Email Aaron Jordan ajjordan@iastate.edu to request more information.

Resources for PI’s:

– For PI’s – EH&S Research Support Checklist
– General Laboratory Safety Recordkeeping – List of required records to be retained by laboratory supervisors 
– Lab Inspection Forms
– EH&S Resources for Laboratories