Human Behavior in a Matrix of Hazards: Risk, Rules, and Ratio in Biomedical Laboratory Safety

Abstract

Laboratory safety presents special challenges in occupational safety and health management around the world. In scientific laboratories, all kinds of hazardous materials (biological, chemical, and radiological) are present—either individually or in some combination. Additionally, physical hazards in laboratories are ubiquitous and add to the overall risk faced by scientists, students, and the environment in all but the most benign settings. Managing the risks found in laboratories encompasses many aspects including safety rules, attitudes, opinions, and hazard and risk perception. A comparative look at the safety and health concerns of biomedical research scientists in The Netherlands and the United States lead the authors to take a broad, international view of laboratory safety management. One empirical finding, a regulatory context, and one assumption underly this viewpoint. First, the safety and health concerns of biomedical research scientists in a Dutch research institution and an American research institution turn out to be similar in many respects. Second, the relevant laws and regulations in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) form the basis of “rules” intended to address biomedical laboratory safety concerns. Rules, however, tend to cover only a portion of the concerns expressed by biomedical research scientists. Our assumption is that attitudes and opinions are also important determinants in the establishment of a balance—a ratio—between the hazards and the rules intended to manage those risks. Based on this international view, the authors propose the development of a consensus-based international training curriculum and introductory program for biomedical research scientists covering relevant issues in health, safety, and environmental protection.