Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a necessary part of laboratory safety in addition to engineering controls (i.e., laboratory ventilation and Biosafety Cabinets) and good work practices. When properly selected and used, personal protective equipment can be effective in minimizing individual exposure (Figure 1).

Supervisors have the primary responsibility for implementing the PPE Program in their work area by ensuring that workplace hazards have been evaluated, that the appropriate PPE is available, and that employees have received the necessary training. Stanford University provides the Laboratory PPE Assessment Tool (https://ehs.stanford.edu/forms-tools/laboratory-ppe-assessment-tool) to complete this assessment. The PPE user is responsible for following the requirements of the PPE program.

The Stanford Administrative Panel on Biosafety (APB) requires labs to follow the guidance put forth in the CDC’s Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) for all work under APB purview. For BSL2, the BMBL recommends that:

  • Long hair is restrained so that it cannot contact hands, specimens, containers, or equipment.
  • Gloves are worn to protect hands from exposure to hazardous materials.
  • Protective laboratory coats, gowns, or uniforms designated for laboratory use are worn while working with hazardous materials and removed before leaving for non-laboratory area.
  • Eye protection and face protection (e.g., safety glasses, goggles, mask, face shield or other splatter guard) are used for manipulations or activities that may result in splashes or sprays of infectious or other hazardous materials. 

In May 2024, the APB expanded this guidance from the BMBL, formally creating a requirement for the use of protective eyewear for all personnel working within BSL-2 lab spaces or conducting BSL-2 research. This policy ensures consistent protection against infectious agents and recombinant DNA (rDNA) hazards and reduces the risk of eye injuries at Stanford University.

Figure 1. Even the Tree Wears PPE
Posters available by request from EH&S
Figure 2. Needle Holder

This involves:

  • Wearing PPE as required per the PPE Assessment Tool
  • Attending site-specific PPE training sessions
  • Cleaning and maintaining PPE as trained
  • Informing the supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE

Due to intrinsic hazards such as performing injections with biological agents or necropsies on infected animals, special attention is given to puncture and cut resistant gloves.

Important Information

Speciality Gloves Recommended

Biosafety offers assorted specialty gloves for research personnel to try while being hands on with their experiments.