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QC Laboratory Safety Rules

Last reviewed 16 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

Contents
  1. Set up a laboratory safety system
  2. Prepare before work
  3. Control exposure, emergencies and waste
  4. Incompatible chemicals and safe handling
  5. Records and retention
  6. Frequently asked questions
  7. What PPE should QC laboratory staff use?
  8. Can an analyst work alone in a QC laboratory?
  9. Should a laboratory neutralize a chemical spill?
  10. References

In short: This overview is for quality control laboratory staff and managers who need to establish safe working procedures. Use a documented, risk-based safety policy, follow current safety data sheets and approved local procedures, and arrange controls for the hazards actually present in the laboratory.

Set up a laboratory safety system

Maintain a documented laboratory safety policy with general and task-specific instructions based on identified risks. Make the procedures available to staff, assign a person to oversee their implementation, and provide safety training at intervals defined in the laboratory quality management system (QMS). Establish waste procedures that meet applicable local requirements. These are recommendations in WHO guidance; local laws and the laboratory’s assessed hazards determine the applicable controls. WHO TRS 1052, Annex 4, §§7.1–7.3 (2024)

Prepare before work

  • Make the current safety data sheet (SDS) available before testing and read the sections relevant to the planned work.
  • Prohibit eating, drinking and smoking in laboratory work areas.
  • Use a laboratory coat and other protective equipment selected for the procedure and its hazards. Eye protection, gloves, masks or respiratory equipment must be suitable for the task and used by trained staff.
  • Keep chemical containers identified and labelled with relevant hazard information. Identify and segregate hazardous products as required by the applicable procedures.
  • Make staff familiar with emergency equipment and response routes. Keep first-aid supplies available and define who is trained to provide first aid or use an antidote when one is specifically required.
  • Follow approved procedures for compressed-gas cylinders and check their identification using the local system before use.
  • WHO guidance recommends that staff should not work alone in the laboratory; define access and supervision controls in the site’s safety procedures.

WHO good practices for pharmaceutical quality control laboratories discuss SDS access, restrictions on food and drink, appropriate protective clothing, chemical labelling, fire response, gas-cylinder handling and first aid. The same guidance says highly toxic or genotoxic samples need a specially designed facility and calls for appropriate electrical protection, including for refrigerators. Apply these controls to the relevant hazards and local installation requirements. WHO TRS 1052, Annex 4, §7.4 (2024)

Control exposure, emergencies and waste

Plan work involving potent, infectious, volatile, corrosive, flammable or otherwise hazardous materials using the SDS and a documented risk assessment. Use engineering controls and protective equipment selected for the hazard. Avoid unnecessary contact with chemicals and vapours; where technically suitable, replacing a more toxic reagent with a less hazardous option can reduce exposure. Procedures for hazardous reactions should give chemical-specific precautions and emergency actions; this article is not a method for carrying out a reaction. WHO TRS 1052, Annex 4, §§7.4–7.5 and 7.8–7.9 (2024)

Provide fit-for-purpose eye and body safety showers at suitable locations, as recommended by WHO; confirm their placement and installation requirements with the site’s facilities or EHS team. Use pipette aids rather than mouth pipetting. Dispose of solvents, corrosive substances, mercury-containing waste and other hazardous materials through approved procedures that meet local environmental rules. Do not attempt neutralization or deactivation unless the relevant substance-specific procedure authorizes it and trained personnel are available. WHO TRS 1052, Annex 4, §§7.2 and 7.5 (2024)

Example in-house criterion (not a pharmacopoeial requirement): before starting a designated high-risk method, the analyst confirms that the current SDS, required controls, suitable PPE and emergency instructions are available; the site defines any record of this check in its QMS.

Incompatible chemicals and safe handling

Some common laboratory mixtures are dangerous, so keep the examples below in mind and handle them as shown.

  • Diluting concentrated acid (for example sulfuric acid) with water: always add the acid slowly to the water, never water to acid, because the heat released can make the liquid spatter. Add in small portions with stirring and cooling, work in a fume hood, and wear splash-resistant eye protection, gloves and a lab coat.
  • Acetone with chloroform in the presence of ammonia or other strong base: do not mix them or combine their waste, because the mixture can react violently. Keep them in separate labelled containers and waste streams, and use a fume hood with suitable PPE when handling either.

In every case, follow the SDS and your site EHS procedure.

Records and retention

Set retention periods for safety training, incident and waste records under applicable law and the site’s controlled schedule. For batch documentation within EU GMP scope, retain it for at least one year after the relevant batch expiry or at least five years after Qualified Person certification, whichever is longer. Under US cGMP, batch-associated production, control or distribution records required by 21 CFR Part 211 must be retained for at least one year after the batch expiry, subject to the regulation’s specific exceptions. EU GMP Part I, Chapter 4, §4.11 (January 2011); 21 CFR §211.180(a), current eCFR (accessed 16 October 2026)

For procedures on related topics, see laboratory safety SOP, laboratory incident SOP and QC laboratory waste disposal SOP.

Frequently asked questions

What PPE should QC laboratory staff use?

Select PPE for the procedure and identified hazards using the SDS, risk assessment and applicable site procedure. WHO guidance says protective clothing, including eye protection, masks and gloves, should be fit for purpose. WHO TRS 1052, Annex 4, §7.5 (2024)

Can an analyst work alone in a QC laboratory?

WHO guidance says staff should not work alone in the laboratory. The site should define access and supervision controls in its safety procedures, taking account of local requirements and the activities being performed. WHO TRS 1052, Annex 4, §7.4 (2024)

Should a laboratory neutralize a chemical spill?

Only follow an approved, substance-specific spill procedure. Do not improvise neutralization or clean-up; use the emergency plan and obtain help from trained responders when required.

References

  • World Health Organization. WHO good practices for pharmaceutical quality control laboratories. WHO Technical Report Series No. 1052, Annex 4, 2024, §§7.1–7.9. Official WHO publication and PDF.
  • European Commission. EudraLex Volume 4, EU Guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practice for Medicinal Products for Human and Veterinary Use, Part I, Chapter 4: Documentation, §4.11, January 2011. Official Chapter 4 PDF.
  • United States. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Part 211, §211.180(a), General requirements, current eCFR, accessed 16 October 2026. Official eCFR text.

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