Hazardous materials, such as chemicals or compressed gases, can pose a wide range of health and physical hazards.  Health hazards can range from mild irritation to something more serious. Physical hazards, such as flammability and reactivity, can also have serious consequences. This section provides information on policies and best practices for the use and storage of chemicals in the laboratory.

In simple terms the goals are to understand the associated risks of your work, minimize the hazards involved and be aware of those hazards that cannot be eliminated. By doing these things we can work to perform and teach science safely. Protect yourself and those around you by anticipating problems and working to prevent them.