Investigating hazard exposures and safety dynamics among researchers in academic settings: Insights from a...

Researchers, whether working in wet-labs, dry-labs, clinical settings, or field environments, encounter various hazards. However, there has been limited study on the health and safety of academic researchers. This study aimed to investigate hazardous occupational exposures and safety among researchers in academic settings at a large U.S. Midwestern public research university.

A cross-sectional survey was administered to university researchers, including students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and faculty members. The survey covered five domains: demographics, psychological stress, workplace safety perceptions, hazardous exposures, and job-related morbidity and injuries. This analysis reports on the demographic, hazardous exposure, and job-related morbidity and injury data collected. The survey instrument used was validated through an expert review (n = 6) and pretested by volunteers (n = 13).

A total of 1,202 participants completed the survey. The majority were wet-lab researchers (42.7%), female (68.8%), and research staff (39.6%), with over half having ≤ 5 years of experience at the institution. The most frequently reported hazard categories were ergonomic issues, including prolonged sitting or standing (64%), eye strain (54.2%), and repetitive motion (32%), as well as psychosocial hazards such as excessive workload (21.6%), ineffective communication or lack of support (20.8%), and isolation (20.4%). Approximately 12.5% of participants reported work-related incidents, including injuries, property damage, and near misses, and another 5.4% reported work-related illnesses, with the predominant cause attributed to physical hazards.

The findings highlight the necessity for stress management programs, ergonomic interventions, and ongoing safety training among university researchers to address these challenges. Future research should aim to develop and assess interventions that fill these gaps, creating a safer and more supportive environment for researchers.

The results offer research institutions an opportunity to implement these initiatives to enhance the well-being and productivity of their research workforce.