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Abstract #157701

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Kelly A. Scanlon, MPH, CIH¹, Kerstin E. Traum¹, Suzanne E. Krall², Deborah Wilson, DrPH³, and Karyn Johnstone, MPH². (1) Assigned to the National Institutes of Health, Division of Occupational Health and Safety, Council Rock Consulting, Inc., Building 13, Room 3K04, Bethesda, MD 20892-5760, 301-402-2492, kralls@mail.nih.gov, (2) Division of Occupational Health and Safety, National Institutes of Health, Building 13, Room 3K04, Bethesda, MD 20892-5760, (3) Division of Occupational Health and Safety, National Institutes of Helath, Bldg 13, Room 3K04, Bethesda, MD 20892

Students studying science or working in scientific research laboratories may receive minimal laboratory safety training prior to the start of their research and during the tenure of their research. Safe laboratory techniques are not emphasized enough as an integral part of every research science experience. Academic and research laboratories are considered hazardous environments; biological, chemical, and physical hazards are prevalent. Hazardous environments put students at risk of serious injuries and illnesses. In an effort to decrease the risk of laboratory-related injuries in the younger student population, an innovative approach to laboratory safety training was developed and implemented. The Division of Occupational Health and Safety at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) overhauled traditional laboratory safety training and provided a well-needed facelift to this essential administrative tool. We designed an interactive computer-based laboratory safety training package for our target audience comprising students from high school to university age. The game-like training incorporates common features of entertainment video games, i.e., selection of an individualized character, first-person views, and three-dimensional graphics. The method of instruction integrates visualization of consequences (e.g., slips/trips/falls, inhalation of chemical hazards, spills of biohazardous liquids), development of critical thinking proficiencies, and application of problem-solving skills. The easily-downloadable computer-based training package will be available through the NIH for distribution to high school and university academic laboratories, government agencies, and private industries that hire summer students to conduct laboratory research.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the importance of effective and affordable laboratory safety training for students in academic research laboratories and entering professional research laboratories for the first time.
• Describe how innovative computer-based laboratory safety training can effectively deliver laboratory safety knowledge and skills in an interesting manner.
• Assess how computer-based laboratory safety training can track statistically valid data regarding the user’s understanding of laboratory safety knowledge and skills.

Keywords: Occupational Health Programs, Training

Related Web page: dohs.ors.od.nih.gov/training.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Slides (pdf) or Handout
• Multimedia recording