Safety Equipment

Providing and maintaining appropriate safety equipment is essential to ensuring a safe and compliant work environment for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors at the University of Missouri. It is the shared responsibility of the University, Principal Investigators (PIs), supervisors, and departments to assess potential hazards and ensure that adequate safety controls and equipment are available and properly maintained.

Responsibilities

• Supervisors and PIs must regularly assess their workspaces to identify potential hazards and provide appropriate safety equipment tailored to the specific tasks or materials in use.
• The University supports this process by maintaining building-wide systems and providing training and resources to promote safe operations.

Common Safety Equipment Includes:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Lab coats, safety glasses, gloves, face shields, respirators, and hearing protection.
• Engineering Controls:
  • Fume hoods and other local exhaust ventilation systems
  • Biosafety cabinets for containment of biological materials
  • Safety shields for splash and impact protection
• Emergency Equipment:
  • Spill control kits for chemical or biological spills
  • First-aid kits stocked for laboratory or field work
  • Emergency eyewash stations and safety showers
  • Fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire hoses, fire doors, and emergency lighting
• Facility Controls:
  • Emergency backup power for critical systems
  • Chemical storage cabinets, including flammable and corrosive storage
  • Gas detection and alarm systems, as applicable

Equipment Inspection & Maintenance

All safety equipment must be inspected regularly and maintained in working condition. Departments are encouraged to establish documented inspection procedures or participate in EHS-coordinated safety checks.

For questions or guidance on specific safety equipment needs, contact Environmental Health & Safety at (573) 882-7018 or email ehs@missouri.edu.

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