What Training Is Required?

group of people discussing while wearing white coats in a lab

Research Safety Training Requirements


All employees that work in a laboratory are required to attend initial laboratory safety training, as well as maintain annual training as noted below:

  • New employees that work in a laboratory must take the in-person classroom course prior to working in a laboratory.
  • This course covers the three base modules:
    • Bloodborne Pathogens, Laboratory Chemical Safety, and Hazardous Waste, relating to laboratory research with human blood or body fluids, infectious materials, chemicals, general laboratory safety, and the disposal of hazardous materials.
  • Employees working in a laboratory must ensure that they complete the online refresher training modules, as listed above, on an annual basis.
  • 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. 
  • Additional in-person modules are offered for AED/CPR and Emergency Warden Training

If you are unsure of your designation or training requirements, please fill out the EHS training form. An EHS representative will contact you with more information. 

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
  • Emergency Warden/Building Coordinator training

Online Training


EHS Training is now delivered through the Percipio Learning Management System (LMS). If you have any compliance training assigned, sign in to Percipio LMS using your UMID and see any assigned training on your front page. 

  • 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.

The following classes may be assigned to you:

  • Bloodborne Pathogens
  • Laboratory Chemical Safety
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Radiation safety training: To register completion of in-person radiation safety training, access this area to complete your quiz.
    • For UMMS hospital employees only (not laboratory research related radiation safety), use this link: UMMS (Hospital) Employees
  • DOT Infectious and Biological Material Shipping
  • Macaques and Herpes B Virus
  • Working with Lentiviruses

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


  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.

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