Lab peer inspections are integral to our safety program, and are supplementary to the annual EH&S inspection. It not only allows safety officers the opportunity to develop a more critical eye for safety, but also promotes sharing of best practices, and in some cases has fostered collaboration between research groups. The members of each peer inspection group are chosen based on their research focus and complimentary skills, and they are assigned to inspect labs with particular hazards or processes that they have some expertise in.
The schedule is distributed at the beginning of the year, and the team chair is responsible for organizing the peer inspection with their team mates and the host lab. After the inspection, the results are recorded in EH&S’ Assessment and Inspection Management System, and corrective actions are assigned to the appropriate party. Notable corrective actions are discussed during the following month’s safety committee to bring awareness to other safety officers.