A new laboratory safety program is currently being developed to enhance aspects of potential dangers that are probable in a laboratory setting.

Vice President for Research Chris Keane and the Vice President for Finance and Administration Olivia Yang will direct a team that will use suggestions from the Association of Public Land Grant Universities (APLU), according to WSU News.

APLU formed the task force for laboratory safety, specifically designed for academic institutions which have research included in their education programs and are dedicated to improving safety in laboratory learning settings.

The lack of lab safety culture in research programs, as well as the death of a lab assistant at the University of California, sparked the awareness for the importance of this matter, according to the APLU website.

Bernardo said he and WSU are committed to creating a safe environment for students, faculty, and visitors at all times and reduce the risk of accidents, and with this program he feels they can always improve their safety in the Pullman community.

“(This program) spawned out of lab safety, but I wanted to make it broader than that,” Bernardo said. “High profile incidents on and off campus would also fall under this initiative, such as students falling from high places.”

Keane and Yang believe it is the right time for this program and that safety begins with individual mindfulness.

They led their first meeting Wednesday, March 9, where they developed the first steps to improve safety on campus. The safety of the community is of high value to them.

The two identified the four primary focus areas as student safety, laboratory safety, workplace safety and construction safety. They plan to create a schedule with student leaders and begin the student program before graduation.

The efforts of WSU safety committees will be accommodated into the program and with increased awareness of laboratory safety culture among the WSU population, they hope to prevent and manage any potential injuries more efficiently, according to WSU News.