Lab Safety Training

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Research lab personnel at the City College must be trained on OSHA lab safety and RCRA hazardous waste management by EHOS staff before working in any laboratory that contains hazardous substances. In addition, EHOS offers FDNY C-14 Certificate of Fitness training sessions for lab supervisors and graduate students working in research laboratories. C-14 and OSHA lab safety training must be renewed once every 3 years, and RCRA hazardous waste management training must be completed every year.

EHOS offers training sessions to all students, staff and faculty at CCNY year-round, and distributes schedules quarterly. All registrations are done through the EHOS Training Registration form specific to each quarterly schedule.

2025 EHOS TRAINING SCHEDULES

Spring Schedule

OSHA Lab Safety training, RCRA Hazardous Waste Management training, and C-14 Certificate of Fitness training are all offered monthly. For information regarding other trainings such as Radiation Safety, please contact us at ehos@ccny.cuny.edu .

Note: Radiation Refresher Training is currently being offered by CUNY Central via Zoom. It is advised that all authorized users of radioactive material attend this three-hour training. Further information at this link.

Through the City University of New York, online trainings have been made available for Biosafety and Animal Care workers in labs on the City College campus. Please use the guide developed by EHOS to register for an account through CITI. For specific guidance on which trainings are required for your area of work, please contact EHOS via email. Individuals working with biological materials are recommended to take the Initial Biosafety Training course, as detailed in the following document: CITI Biosafety Training Advisory.

FIRE SAFETY & C-14 CERTIFICATE OF FITNESS

The City of New York Fire Department (FDNY) requires that all non-production chemical laboratories require an individual holding a Certificate of Fitness (COF) for Non-Production Chemical Laboratories (C-14) to be present at all times during operation. The certificate is valid only at a specific location and for the specific person to whom it is issued.

A non-production chemical laboratory is a building or portion of a building where chemicals or gases are stored, handled or used on a non-production basis for testing, research, experimental, instructional or educational purposes. A lab is considered to be in operation when it is open and a chemical that requires a COF is being handled or used. All labs must be built to specifications set by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB).

Persons applying for a new C-14 COF must first attend a training session given by the EHOS team. See ‘2025 EHOS TRAINING SCHEDULES’ above for current schedules.

NEW COF APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on applying for the C-14 COF from FDNY: C-14 Certificate of Fitness Application Guide

All applications are done online through the FDNY Dashboard. An outline of the steps to take is available at this link. The documents required are as follows:

1. Confirmation of C-14 training and other lab safety training attendance.
2. Color copy of your CCNY Employee (Faculty/Staff) ID card. If you should need assistance obtaining an employee ID, please follow this link (https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/safety/id-office).
3. A recent photo (2x2 headshot). The photo must be in PDF and/or JPEG form.
4. Color copy of your diploma/transcript showing degree conferred.
5. Recommendation letter (template included in Quick Links at the bottom of the page) from an advisor or principal investigator. As of 2024, this letter is required for all levels of education, including those holding a Master's degree.
6. Fee waiver letter. You must provide proof of attendance to C-14 training and proof of employment to the EHOS office to be issued this letter. Only CCNY faculty and staff may be issued a COF with a fee waiver. Students and non-CCNY faculty will be required to pay a $25 fee to the FDNY.
7. C-14 Alternative Issuance Procedure - Employee Affirmation Form. As of 2024, this form must be notarized. You may set up an appointment with CCNY Human Resources to facilitate notarization (do not sign the form before your appointment).

Applicants are required to meet eligibility standards as listed on the FDNY website. Individuals who do not meet these requirements (such as those who do not have enough experience) can still obtain a C-14 COF by taking an exam at the FDNY Headquarters. Details on the exam, requirements, and how to apply: C-14 Study Material

COF RENEWAL

It is best advised to renew the C-14 certification before the expiration date. If more than one year has elapsed since the expiration date shown on the certification, please follow the instructions in the previous section for applying for a new COF.

The renewal process is described in the C-14 Certificate of Fitness Application Guide. You will not have to take additional training sessions for a renewal.

If there are any questions regarding your application, please call (212-650-5080) or email ehos@ccny.cuny.edu .

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Fire extinguishers should be certified according to the tags attached by an approved fire safety company. In addition, City College staff should check fire extinguishers on a monthly basis to confirm that they are in operable condition according to the following criteria:

Pin is in place
Dial is pointing to green area
Canister is intact

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Avoid using electrical strips as a permanent fixture or 'daisy-chaining' power strips together. This poses a fire hazard if the capacity of chained power strips or wires are different.
Wires should not cross the path of hallways or go between lab benches.
Electrical panels in any room should have at least 3 feet of clearance for maintenance or emergency access.