Draft Policy for Children in Laboratories, Studios and Shops

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee restricts children from laboratories, studios, shops and other campus areas where physical, chemical, biological or other potential health and safety hazards are present. Children must be kept away from any area with a known hazardous condition. Babies and infants must be protected from any area with even a potential exposure or hazardous condition. Children should be restricted from areas that store or use research animals, hazardous chemicals, radioisotopes, carcinogens or biohazardous agents.

When children are allowed in laboratories, studios, shops or other hazardous areas, the following criteria must be met:

• Children must be mature enough to understand and follow safety rules.
• Children must be supervised at all times by a parent, guardian or an adult who has the expressed permission of the parent or guardian.
• An approval must be obtained from the Principal Investigator, Laboratory Manager or other individual with direct responsibility for the area.
• Children must not be put in a situation where they could get an accidental chemical exposure, or otherwise harm themselves or others which could be avoided by their exclusion.
• Any demonstration performed for children that has a potential hazardous exposure must be approved by the person in charge of the area. Precautions necessary to perform the demonstration safely must be written and reveiwed. The Department of University Safety and Assurances or a departmental safety committee should be contacted for a reveiw of the proposed procedure.

Updated Februry 8, 2007 by SAK