Northern Illinois University
Department of Physics
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

We are committed to providing a safe laboratory experience for our students, faculty and staff. In an effort to achieve a safe environment, we provide ongoing safety training and produce a continually updated safety procedures manual.

The manual contains emergency personnel contact information, as well as procedures for handling severe weather emergencies, medical emergencies, fires, accidents, and building evacuations. Building evacuation route maps and safety equipment locator maps are also included in the manual.

We provide fire extinguisher training on an annual basis - a requirement of all our teaching assistants and research assistants - and also offer First Aid and CPR certification from E.H.& S. In conjunction with the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, we also offer training in laser safety, biosafety, proper waste storage and removal and chemical storage.

All instructional laboratory students are provided with all personal protective equipment required for each lab. Training with laboratory safety equipment, such as safety phones, eye wash stations, fire blankets and safety showers, are also provided to all laboratory students.

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and/or Material safety data sheets (MSDS) are available on all chemicals used in the department. Additionally, first aid kits are located in most instructional labs.