The primary objective in laboratory design is to provide a safe environment for laboratory personnel to conduct their work. A secondary objective is to allow for the maximum flexibility for safe research use. Undergraduate teaching laboratories require other specific design considerations. Therefore, all health and safety hazards must be anticipated and carefully evaluated so that protective measures can be incorporated into the design. No matter how well designed a laboratory is, improper usage of its facilities will always defeat the engineered safety features. Proper education of the facility users is essential.

The General Requirements listed in this section illustrate some of the basic health and safety elements to include in all new and remodeled laboratories at Stanford. Variations from these guidelines need approval from SU Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S). The subsections of Section 1.0 provide specific guidance on additional critical features of a general laboratory (e.g., fume hoods, hazardous materials storage, and compressed gases.)