Undergraduate students with work and class conflicts may request access to Undergraduate Health Professions (UHP) research laboratories after hours, from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. Access is granted on a limited basis only when such scheduling conflicts prevent the student's laboratory participation during normal business hours.

The laboratory's principle investigator is to verify a student’s need for after-hours access, determined on a case-by-case basis in consultation with Augusta University Environmental Health and Safety. Per prudent laboratory practice, undergraduate students should not be alone in a laboratory environment after hours. If such is required, the PI must implement measures to insure student safety, for example, a buddy-system, supervision by another laboratory member (not necessarily the PI), or a call-in system. The PI is responsible for student safety in laboratories.

Undergraduates may only engage in tasks or procedures that have minimal risk. The PI, in consultation with Augusta University Environmental Health and Safety, will carefully evaluate the work proposed for the least risk. Only minimal risk tasks are to be performed without direct supervision. Higher risk tasks may only be performed when supervision is present.

Undergraduate students must complete the following requirements to be granted after-hours access to MLIRS laboratories:

  • Initial Chemical and Biological Safety Training (didactic format, 4-hour course; required once)
  • Annual Biological Safety Refresher Training (online; required annually after completion of the Initial Training Course)
  • Basic, Bloodborne Pathogen, Chemical Specific, and Hazardous Waste Right-to-Know Training modules (online; Basic required once, the others annually.)
  • Completion of the Laboratory Safety Checklist (provided during the Initial Training Course; required once)

Undergraduate student access to MLIRS research laboratories is important to the department's mission. It is to be strictly supervised with appropriate oversight and monitoring of student activities at all times.