Lab Training Requirements

The University requires safety training for laboratory personnel to insure that they are adequately informed about physical and health hazards present within the laboratory and methods for minimizing the risks of exposure. “Laboratory personnel” include faculty, staff, and students who work in a laboratory setting. For this document the term “laboratory personnel” applies as well to graduate and post-doctoral fellows and visiting scientists who work in laboratories. Required training is determined by job duties and the specific hazards within the lab.

Your Training History

You can verify what courses you have taken through UTLearn > Learning > View Your Transcript > Completed (under the “Active” pull-down menu).

Required Training for all Laboratory Personnel

  • OH 101 Hazard Communication (General) - Required for all lab personnel working with or around hazardous chemicals.
  • OH 102 Hazard Communication (Site-Specific) - Taught by the laboratory's Principal Investigator or Supervisor. The training must be documented using the standardized HazCom Training Record - Labs Site-Specific (PDF) with checklist covering training topics that is available from EHS. Required for all lab employees working with or around hazardous chemicals.
  • OH 201 Laboratory Safety - Required for all lab personnel working with hazardous chemicals or biological materials.
  • OH 202 Hazardous Waste Management - Required for all personnel, including faculty, staff, and students who work in a laboratory using hazardous chemicals or biological materials.
  • OH 238 Laboratory Safety Refresher - Required 3 years after OH 201 is completed for all lab personnel working with hazardous chemicals or biological materials and every 3 years thereafter.
  • FF 205 Fire Extinguisher Use - Required for all lab personnel. This training can be taken online or in-person. See Fire Prevention Services for more information.
    • FF 205 Fire Extinguisher Training - select this version to sign up for the in-person class
    • FF 205 Portable Fire Extinguisher Basics - select this version to take this training online

Additional Courses

To assist lab departments with maintaining training requirements, EHS offers these additional courses:

Responsibilities of PI/Lab Supervisors

PIs/lab supervisors are required to ensure all their personnel receive proper training, and to provide Site-Specific Hazard Communication training to “laboratory personnel” and students who work in labs. PIs/lab supervisors are responsible for ensuring that all training is properly documented and that individuals working in their labs do not engage in activities for which they have not been trained.

EHS Courses and Enrollment

Lab personnel can request online courses through UTLearn.  As the employee training management system, UTLearn is accessible only by active UT Austin employees (faculty, staff, or student employee). Non-employee students needing to take EHS courses may request access to UTLearn through self-registration. Self-registration is currently limited to only students required to complete EHS training. These students and/or supervisors who manage student safety training should contact EHS_Training@austin.utexas.edu to request the URL for the self-registration process.