Article by Chris Pearman and Colette Faiella
Building a Stronger Culture of Safety
The University of Missouri recently concluded another successful Lab Safety Awareness Week, reinforcing our shared commitment to protecting people, research, and discovery. Hosted by Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) in partnership with the Office of Research, the week emphasized practical safety skills, meaningful outreach, and recognition of individuals who lead by example in our research community—all grounded in our guiding message: Safer Together.
Throughout the week, EHS staff engaged with students, faculty, staff, and the research community through hands-on outreach, informal discussions, and safety demonstrations, strengthening connections and reinforcing shared responsibility for safe research. These interactions provided valuable opportunities to answer questions, discuss real-world laboratory safety challenges, and build relationships across campus—because safety works best when we approach it together.
Hands-On Training and Educational Programming
Educational programming during the week included:
- A Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) presentation from Fisher Scientific and Ansell, focused on glove selection, lab coats, and eye and face protection to help researchers make informed PPE decisions.
- A Compressed Gas Safety presentation from Airgas, covering safe cylinder handling, storage, transport, and regulator use in laboratory and research environments.
- Hands-on Digital Fire Extinguisher Training, which provided instruction on proper fire extinguisher selection, how to safely operate an extinguisher, and—critically—how to assess a situation and determine when it is appropriate to use an extinguisher versus when to evacuate the building and call for emergency assistance.
- EHS Safety trivia designed to reinforce that safety is an everyday prevalence, and outreach activities designed to make safety approachable and engaging.
Recognizing Safety Leadership: The Safety MVP Award
A key feature of Lab Safety Awareness Week was the Safety MVP Award, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to laboratory safety and positively influence their teams. Nominations opened during the week, allowing peers to highlight those who consistently lead by example.
Congratulations to this year’s Safety MVP Award recipients:
- Anand Soorneedi
- Wing Cheung Lai
Fire Extinguisher Demo & Friendly Competition
The popular Fire Extinguisher Demo added a fun and competitive element, challenging participants to apply what they learned by responding quickly and correctly in a simulated fire scenario.
Congratulations to our standout performers:
- Fastest Time – $50 Mizzou Store Gift Card: Kritika Prasai
- Second Fastest Time – $30 Mizzou Store Gift Card: Riti Shrestha
Prize Winners & Campus Partnerships
Additionally, EHS held a Lab Safety Awareness Week Prize Raffle. By nominating a Safety MVP or playing Safety trivia, participants were entered into a drawing for four grand prizes, and winners are as follows:
- 4 Mizzou Men’s Basketball Tickets: Henry Mosher
- 4 Mizzou Women’s Basketball Tickets: Andrew Knott
- Free Parking for One Year: Mather Khan
- Venture Out Experience for 8: Brendon Koester
EHS extends a special thank you to MU Parking, MU Athletics, and Mizzou Rec for generously donating prizes and helping make Lab Safety Awareness Week a success.
Safer Together
Lab Safety Awareness Week is about more than prizes or presentations—it is about visibility, partnership, and shared responsibility. By being Safer Together as a community, we continue building a strong culture of safety that supports excellence in research at Mizzou.