Survey reveals that science labs are not the safest place to work

March 06, 2013 (Press-News.org) Survey reveals that science labs are not the safest place to work

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New research on workplace safety has uncovered that science labs are not as safe as the scientists who work in them think they are. According to the study, 86 percent of scientists believe that their lab is a safe place to work, but just under half of the same people who thought it was safe, have experienced injuries at work.

Many survey participants stated that any injuries sustained in the lab were just part of the job. Most participants cited sustaining minor injuries such as small cuts and lacerations while at work. Thirty percent of those surveyed, however, stated they have witnessed a major injury in the lab that required medical attention. More than 25 percent of the junior researchers surveyed admitted to experiencing an injury but not reporting it to their supervisors.

Common work place injuries reported by the survey, included:
-Chemical inhalation
-Animal bites
-Burns

Many injuries are caused by insufficient training on equipment and lack of supervision. Many of the scientists polled admitted to working in the lab alone. Working alone can compound injuries because no one is there to ensure that an injured person gets the help he or she needs.

The survey also revealed a large difference in how junior and senior scientists view safety. Only 12 percent of younger scientists, like PhD students or post-doctoral candidates, said that safety was "paramount, and takes precedence over all other lab priorities." More senior scientists, but still only 36 percent, state that safety was paramount.

The study was spurred by two recent lab deaths. One death occurred at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2008 when a research assistant died after receiving fatal burns in a lab fire. The other death occurred at Yale University in 2011.

Workplace injuries

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in the workplace, contact an experienced workplace injury attorney in your area to learn about your options. Most employees, and their families, will be able to receive worker's compensation benefits for injuries sustained on the job. If your injury is covered by worker's compensation, you are precluded from bringing a direct lawsuit against your employer. In some circumstances, however, injured employees can make a third-party claim against an individual other than the employer, or if the injury was caused by a defective product, against the product's manufacturer.

Contact a worker's compensation attorney to help you obtain the compensation you deserve to recover for your injuries.