Guidelines for non-student minors working in University of Utah Research Laboratories.
Note: These guidelines are not intended for minors that are enrolled as regular students at the university.
- Minors wishing to work in a research lab on campus (science projects, outreach experiences, etc.) should complete University of Utah Risk & Insurance Management’s liability waiver.
- All minors must be provided with safety training specific to the activities they will be participating in within the lab. This should be provided by the PI/Instructor and must be documented in writing. Documentation of training must contain the following: Date of training, Name of trainer, Topics covered by the training, Name of minor, signatures of both the trainer and the minor participant(s). Training should also include a basic lab safety quiz that participants must pass with at least an 80% score.
- The principal investigator/instructor/sponsor should discuss the following with the minor and both should sign a statement stating that they understand the following guidelines:
- No minor shall be left unattended at any time within a lab space. Minors will need to be accompanied at all times by a responsible staff member.
- Minors must be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment, including, but not limited to, appropriate gloves (if they will be handling anything within the lab), lab coat and safety glasses. Minors must wear this personal protective equipment at all times while in the lab space. Shorts, sandals. etc. shall not be permitted to be worn in the lab. Long pants, closed-toe shoes and shirts that cover the midriff must be worn at all times in the lab.
- Minors must be made aware of the hazards within the lab and areas where their access is restricted. This must be communicated to the minor prior to the start of their work as part of their training.
- Minors are not permitted to handle any biological agents/rDNA/sDNA, research animals, highly hazardous chemicals, or dangerous machinery without prior approval from EHS.
Copies of all documentation including, but not limited to, signed liability waiver, documentation of training, copies of completed quizzes, signed PI/instructor/sponsor statement, should be kept in the lab and you may want to keep copies on file at the department level as well.