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Environmental Health & Safety

Lab Security

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Maintaining secure laboratory environments is a shared institutional responsibility critical to safeguarding people, research, and university assets. At Texas Christian University (TCU), laboratory security protocols are designed to address both compliance requirements and the broader risk landscape associated with research and teaching laboratories. 

Core Principles of Laboratory Security 

  1. Access Control 
     Limit entry to authorized individuals. Doors must remain secured when laboratories are unattended, and access privileges should be reviewed regularly. 
  2. Inventory Oversight 
     Maintain detailed, current inventories of hazardous materials, ensuring proper storage, quantity control, and traceability to mitigate the risks of loss, diversion, or theft.
  3. Incident Reporting & Inventory Audits
    Promptly report any missing or unaccounted-for materials. Conduct and document a full annual inventory to ensure material accountability and regulatory compliance.
  4. Training and Awareness
    Ensure all laboratory personnel are trained in laboratory security procedures and understand their importance. Ongoing training helps reinforce a culture of safety and responsibility. 

Laboratory security is essential not only for regulatory compliance but also for protecting academic integrity, institutional reputation, and community welfare.  

A well-structured security program mitigates threats such as: 

  • Theft or diversion of hazardous materials or high-value equipment 
  • Misuse of dual-use chemicals or sensitive data 
  • Unsupervised or unauthorized experimentation 
  • Acts of sabotage or targeted disruptions 
  • Unauthorized access or data disclosure 

 Security measures are tailored based on: 

  • Type and volume of hazardous or sensitive materials 
  • Potential threats (internal and external) 
  • History of incidents or attempted breaches 
  • Regulatory compliance requirements 
  • Research sensitivity or dual-use potential 

For more information on laboratory security and safety requirements, please contact the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) office at safety@tcu.edu or 817-257-5395.

Resources & Forms
Laboratory Security - NCBI - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Biosafety Levels & Lab Safety Guidelines - Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response (ASPR)

Training
Assignment of online safety courses is overseen by EHS and accessible through the online HSI/SafetySkills Learning Management System. A TCU email and ID number is required for access. For further training information, please contact EHS at safety@tcu.edu or 817-257-5395.