Lab Safety Inspections

During the performance of the Lab Safety inspection, or shortly after the inspection has concluded, available laboratory personnel on site are counseled on the violations and actions needed to correct them. Violations that are easily corrected are encouraged to be resolved at this time. If so done, a finding will not be assigned, though a note of the situation may still be included on the report.  Any additional concerns or questions are also discussed at the time of inspection. The inspection report consisting of the findings and required corrective actions is then emailed to the Principal Investigator/Lab Supervisor and the listed Group Compliance Liaison via the SciShield system within two to three working days of the inspection date. 

Automatic, system-generated Inspection Report notifications are sent to the listed PI and Group Liaison: 

• Once, when the inspection report is submitted to the system by the inspector. 
• Each time a comment or response is entered by the inspector or lab representative. 
• Weekly, when an inspection report’s status is “Pending Resolution” or “Needs Assistance” until the status is changed. 

Inspection reports indicate when any finding is a repeat violation from a previous inspection. 

Communication between the lab and the inspector regarding the report is conducted within the SciShield system.  The lab and inspector can document any concerns and ultimately resolve any findings. The inspector will continue to work with the lab on the correction of findings until there are no pending issues and at that time, finalize the report.   Inspection reports with no response from the lab within 30 days of the date of the report will be finalized with pending findings unresolved.   

Issues requiring intervention from EHS departments (e.g. discharged fire extinguishers, broken safety showers, faulty chemical fume hoods) will be forwarded to the relevant department by the Lab Safety inspector.  

Results from laboratory inspections are available to departmental and/or College representatives to assist with timely corrections or needed repairs via SciShield’s Inspection Dashboard, under the “Inspections” menu heading. Departmental representatives are encouraged to verify their lab listings (PI and spaces) under their departments’ inspection dashboard in the SciShield system. Send an email to scishield@uky.edu if corrections are needed. 

It is the individual departments’ responsibility to determine how best to follow up with the individual labs to ensure these violations are corrected in a timely manner. Notification to department/College officials by Research Safety will be made for unresponsive or problem laboratories that present a continued risk to UK personnel and facilities as evidenced by repeated or numerous findings on Lab Safety Inspections.