How institutions are using simulated emergency scenarios to prepare students for real lab accidents

Myriam Vidal Valero of Nature shares how institutions can use simulated lab accidents to provide a more meaningful lab safety learning experience for students. Valero highlights the frequency of laboratory incidents around the world and the issues-such as incorrect storage of equipment or a lack of training-that contribute to these incidents. At Colorado State University, for example, laboratory coordinators have started controlled fires, acted out injuries, and created mock chemical leaks that students needed to respond to in real time. After each scenario, staff held a debriefing to discuss the students’ responses. “How many more training modules can a grad student or an undergrad take where they’re just clicking through a PowerPoint presentation?” asked CSU Lab Coordinator Ben Reynolds.