Health and Safety

Visit Western's Occupational Health and Safety site for a comprehensive listing of health topics, required training, resources, forms, and contacts.

A number of health and safety seminars are mandatory for faculty, staff and students which vary according to your role within the organization.

Information on how to print a Training Summary is available at Health and Safety Training. New training records are updated on My Human Resources by the tenth working day of the month for the prior month’s activity. Certificates will be created in OWL upon future successful completion of a course.


Occupational Health and Safety offers a number of regularly scheduled training sessions throughout the year. Descriptions and sessions are listed here. Instructions on how to register for training courses can be found here.

Safety Training Checklist Form

For bottle labelleling purposes, download a current list of commonly used chemicals with their approved abbreviations

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

• Promptly obtain first aid
• Notify your supervisor immediately of any accident/incident
• Supply all details to your supervisor
• Supervisor fills out report and notifies the department for signing by the Facilities and Laboratory Manager, Christie Vanderboor. Reports must be completed, signed and distributed within 24 hrs of the Accident/Incident.
• Accident Report Form

The information below is archived and is now out of date. For the most up to date Western-related information on COVID-19 please visit the Western COVID-19 website.

Before Reporting to Campus

• View the video on OWL: COVID-19 Training Video: Return to Campus Essentials and answer the certification question.
• Review Western’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy and upload your documents as applicable.
• Before each visit to campus, you must complete a daily symptom check using the unique link sent you by email. https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/ The subject line of the email will be "Action Required: COVID-19 self-assessment and absence notification."
• Visitors: please familiarize yourself with Western’s "Events and Visitors on Campus Procedure." Please notify Christie Vanderboor at cgodin2@uwo.ca of any visitors to Physiology and Pharmacology MSB/DSB.

Absence Notification/Self-Isolation

For faculty, staff, postdoctoral and graduate students who receive pay through myHR: 

• If you are unwell or are required to self-isolate due to illness or being a close contact, please complete the Absence Notification Tool/Self-Isolation in MyHR daily and notify your Supervisor. When reporting self-isolation, employees will indicate if they are able to fulfill their work duties.

On Campus

• All members of the Western community are required to wear medical grade (ASTM Level 3) masks with no exceptions in the presence of others, and in common and shared spaces. This includes shared office space, corridors, lobbies, washrooms, elevators, classrooms, teaching laboratories, meeting rooms, and libraries. Masks are also required outdoors when physical distancing is not possible.
• Your supervisor will provide you with masks or they are available at campus libraries with your student/staff ID
• Please arrive to campus wearing a mask.
• Employees working in a shared space with open cubicles are permitted to remove their mask while seated and physically distanced. Instructors behind a barrier at the front of a classroom are also permitted to remove their masks.
• In the event of a fire or fire drill, evacuate through the nearest exit.  

In the Lab

• All normal lab safety practices are still applicable.
• Additional health and safety requirements are summarized on posters in the lab.
• In labs, medical grade (ASTM Level 3) masks must be worn and will be provided.
• Please discuss specific clean in/clean out expectations with your Supervisor.

 For more information please visit https://www.uwo.ca/coronavirus/