Lab Access & Training

The Ecosystems Shared Laboratory is located in Room 326 of the Green Earth Sciences Building. Hours of operation are from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, with the Laboratory Manager on site during these hours to provide assistance, training, and equipment maintenance. After hours or weekend access can be granted on a case by case basis.

All new lab users must complete the intake form in order to gain access to the laboratory. It is important that you describe your desired use of the facility in detail, including expected hazards, required equipment, storage needs, and experiment duration. Laboratory users must then complete all required training and receive written permission from the laboratory manager before beginning work in the laboratory room and/or using any equipment.

Please read the sections below for more information. 

Training

All users must receive training from the laboratory manager only, not by a peer, advisor, or other staff member. The laboratory rooms contain hazardous equipment and chemicals and there is a significant risk of sample cross-contamination. Training is a multi-step process, outlined below. Laboratory users must complete two STARS training courses, review the Chemical Hygiene Plan, and complete a laboratory specific safety training before gaining access to the space. 

Laboratory users must complete online training via Stanford Axess STARS learning courses. PDFs of Certificates of Completion must be emailed to the laboratory manager for the following courses:

1. General Safety & Emergency Preparedness (EHS-4200)
2. Chemical Safety for Laboratories (EHS-1900). 
    

Register for STARS courses via the Stanford Axess Portal. Emailed certificates of completion must have the following naming convention or they will not be accepted: "EHS-4200 General Safety First name Last name" and "EHS-1900 Chemical Safety First name Last name".

All laboratory personnel are required to review the Stanford University Chemical Hygiene Plan prior to scheduling a laboratory specific safety training with the laboratory manager.

All laboratory personnel must attend the laboratory specific safety training prior to gaining access. The laboratory specific safety training will educate users on hazards, appropriate personal protective equipment, and emergency procedures specific to the Ecosystems Shared Laboratory. The user must complete and sign the laboratory specific safety training document and personal protective equipment assessment before they can commence work in the lab. The laboratory manager will then provide a link to request keycard access to the laboratory. Users can expect access to be granted 24 to 72 hours after the training.

Access and Scheduling

The Ecosystems Shared Laboratory uses the online Agilent iLab scheduling system for laboratory reservations. Laboratory users will need to complete free registration, ensuring that they are added to their Principal Investigator's group, and email the Ecosystems laboratory manager after they have done so. Following registration and the training outlined above, the laboratory user will be given reservation access for the equipment they have been trained on. 

Laboratory access is dependent upon training and experience, and laboratory users may work only during regular working hours (9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday) unless given explicit permission to work after hours. Extended working hours are granted to users who have demonstrated that they will follow laboratory rules and complete procedures responsibly and safely.

Laboratory Communication

Primary communication from the laboratory manager and communication between users is handled through the Ecosystems Laboratory Slack channel. Users will be added to this channel once laboratory access is granted.