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Safety

The Virginia Tech Advanced Propulsion and Power Laboratory has a firm committment to provide researchers with a safe lab environment for successful completion of research projects. In keeping with this committment, VT-APPL has worked with the Virginia Tech Environmental Health and Safety to identify specific training provided to researchers affiliated with us. Frequent internal audits along with EHS inspections are done to ensure that safety standards are met. Safety policies for the lab are provided in the document embedded below. For further questions about our policies, please contact us.

APPL facility use guidelines (PDF)

APPL safety policies and procedures (PDF)

All rigs at APPL require reviewed documentation as follows:

1. All documentation listed below is uploaded into the Environmental Health and Safety SMS site setup for this rig. 

  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) - Updated to include schematics, operating pressures & temperatures, any other pertinent figures
  • Safety Data Sheets - SDS used for your rig, if applicable. 
  • Hazcom Checklist - checklist of required documents, contacts, locations of documents, etc
  • Chemical Inventory - List of all chemical used. Can put "N/A" if none used. 
  • Hazard Assessment Form - Documents hazards and PPE needed. 
  • Project Risk Assessment - Identifies potential hazards, how great the risk and mitigation. Each new project using the rig should update this assessment to capture the unique risks.

2. All above documentation should be reviewed by Virginia Tech Environmental Health and Safety for general input.

3. The documentation and rig must be reviewed by the APPL Safety Faculty Member (Prof. Greg Young).

4. The APPL Safety Faculty Member advises any changes to SOP/Rig & changes are made by the PI/Lead Students

5. The APPL Safety Faculty Member verifies the changes that were made to SOPs/Rigs

6. The Rig can then resume testing

APPL Required Training Classes

  1. Hearing Conservation 
  2. Electrical awareness 
  3. Hazcom RTK 
  4. Laser Safety 
  5. Lockout Tagout Awareness 
  6. PPE Awareness 
  7. Portable Fire Extinguisher 
  8. Compressed Gas Cylinder 
  9. Flammable Liquid Safety 
  10. General Lab Safety 
  11. Hand and Power Tool Safety 
  12. Ladder Safety