What Training Is Required?

group of people discussing while wearing white coats in a lab

Please use the Anchor Links below to get to a Training section:

Research Safety Training Requirements | Classroom (In-Person) Training Schedule and Registration | Online Training | Reviewing Past Trends | DOT Infectious and Biological Material Shipping | UMB Initial Radiation Safety Training | Laboratory Safety Training

Research Safety Training Requirements

Core Laboratory Safety Training

All new employees that work in a laboratory must take the in-person EHS Laboratory Safety course prior to working in a laboratory. This course covers the following three base modules:

  1. Bloodborne Pathogens,
  2. Laboratory Chemical Safety, and
  3. Hazardous Waste.

This course is typically held every other Tuesday from 1 to 2:30pm. To view the schedule and register, please see the links offered below.

Subsequent annual refresher trainings are required and available online. These may be accessed through your SciShield training portal. 

Additional Job Duty-Specific Trainings

In addition to the three base modules, there are additional courses that may be required based on your specific job activities.

  • Employees that work with radioactive material must take in-person classroom radiation safety training, to be renewed annually online.
  • Employees that ship biological material must take the Department of Transportation (DOT) Infectious and Biological Material Shipping online training. This certification is valid for 2 years and can be completed online.
  • Employees that have potential exposure to Herpes B virus must first contact Vet Resources to schedule initial in-person training, then annual refresher training is required.
  • Employees that work with or have potential exposure to lentiviruses are strongly encouraged to complete training on Working with Lentiviruses. 
  • An in-person module is offered for AED/CPR Training.

If you are unsure of your designation or training requirements, please contact ehstraining@umaryland.edu and an EHS representative will respond to your inquiry. 

Classroom (In-Person) Training Schedule and Registration

To sign up for in-person training on the following classes, see the schedule and registration links at EHS Schedule.

The following classes are offered in-person:

  • Initial lab safety training
    • Including Bloodborne Pathogens, Laboratory Chemical Safety, and Hazardous Waste
  • Radiation safety training
  • AED/CPR training

Online Training

SciShield

Online EHS Training is now primarily delivered through SciShield. To view a list of online courses, please visit your SciShield training portal. 

Percipio

During the transition to SciShield, some trainings may still only be available in the Percipio Learning Management System (LMS). To access assigned trainings in this system, sign in to Percipio LMS using your UMID and you will see assigned trainings on your front page. Additional things to know about Percipio:

  • You may receive an email with the subject line "Initial Notice of Scheduled Training for [your name]" from skillsoftcompliance.noreply@skillsoft.com with a list of your required courses.
  • When you complete a course, you will NOT receive a confirmation email, but your completion should be reflected in your Training History.
  • If you are overdue for any assigned courses, your supervisor will begin receiving monthly emails with subject line "Percipio User Status Report", summarizing any overdue courses.

If you have been instructed to register for a course that is not listed in your Percipio compliance assignments, please reach out to ehstraining@umaryland.edu to have the course added.

Reviewing Past Training Records

Percipio

  1. Log into the Percipio LMS
  2. Click on your initials at the top right of the screen and choose Compliance.
  3. Click on your full name at the top right of the screen, and choose Training History.

SciShield

If a training you have taken is not listed or you have any additional questions, please contact EHS at 410-706-7055 or email ehstraining@umaryland.edu. 

 

Course Descriptions

DOT Infectious and Biological Material Shipping 

This course covers the International Air Transport Association manual of International Civil Aviation Organization regulations and Department of Transportation regulations and guidelines that pertain to shipment of biologic products or diagnostic specimens or dangerous goods, such as infectious substances, dry ice, or other hazardous materials. This shipping training course is required every two years for anyone who ships these materials.

UMB Initial Radiation Safety Training

Consistent with the regulations of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), EHS requires that all radioactive material users successfully complete a radiation safety course of instruction. Any person who is going to handle radioactive material must attend. Any person who is not going to handle radioactive material, but who may frequent areas where it is used unsupervised must also attend. All radioactive material users are expected to schedule attendance in the radiation safety training course within sixty days of registering with EHS as a radiation worker. An exam will be administered at the end of the course. Participants will not be given credit for completing the course until they have successfully completed the final exam.

Topics include:

  • Fundamental Radiation Concepts and Applied Radiation Safety Practices
  • Nature and Origin Ionizing Radiation Interactions of Radiation with Matter
  • Principals of Radiation Detection
  • Radiation Units and Measures
  • Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation
  • Radiation Protection and Laboratory Techniques
  • Radiation Protection Programs and Individual Responsibilities

Laboratory Safety Training

All employees working in a laboratory should complete laboratory safety training. New employees should attend in-person training, then complete online refresher training every year thereafter. Topics covered in each module are listed below:

Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP)

  • OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard
  • Epidemiology, symptoms, and modes of transmission of bloodborne diseases
  • The UMB Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan and a method for obtaining a copy
  • Recognition of tasks that may involve exposure
  • Use and limitations of methods to reduce exposure, for example, engineering controls, work practices and personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Types, use, location, removal, handling, decontamination, and disposal of PPE
  • The basis of selection of PPE
  • The Hepatitis B vaccine, including efficacy, safety, method of administration, benefits, and cost, if any
  • Appropriate actions to take and persons to contact in an emergency involving blood or other potentially infectious materials
  • Procedures to follow if an exposure incident occurs, including method of reporting and medical follow-up
  • Evaluation and follow-up required after an exposure incident
  • Signs, labels, and color coding systems used to identify potentially infectious materials.

Laboratory Chemical Safety

  • OSHA Use of Hazardous Chemicals in the Laboratory Standard
  • Hazard Communication: An overview of chemical hazard identification, labeling, and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
  • Safe use, transportation, and storage of chemicals
  • Safe laboratory practices
  • Compressed gas cylinders
  • Laboratory safety equipment
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Emergency and spill response procedures
  • Reporting injuries or illnesses
  • Medical consultation

Hazardous Waste

  • EPA Hazardous Waste designations: characteristic and listed hazardous wastes
  • Hazardous Waste Accumulation Requirements
  • Hazardous Waste Disposal
  • Waste Minimization and Pollution Prevention
  • Emergencies and Responding to Spills involving Hazardous Waste
  • Special Medical/biohazard Waste Disposal