Harvard Medical School Explosion Highlights Lab Security and Emergency Preparedness Needs

In November, an incident at Harvard medical School involving two men detonating a cherry bomb explosive inside a building that housed neurobiology labs and offices.

While the incident did not result in any injuries or lasting damage, it highlights the importance of emergency preparedness and disaster planning for laboratories.

In a previous article about laboratory disaster planning, I detailed the steps each lab should take in advance of an emergency to ensure that their samples, data, and equipment are protected. This incident goes beyond advanced preparation and brings to light issues surrounding security, emergency planning, and operational continuity. Let’s examine these additional factors and how they can inform lab safety and preparedness.

Lab security and physical access protocols

Laboratories that house hazardous agents such as radiation, infectious agents, and hazardous chemicals should have stricter security standards than other work areas, including the following:

• Conduct background checks on all staff working in secured areas prior to hire.
• Implement card access systems to restrict entry not only to the building but also to lab and storage spaces where hazardous agents are kept, and instruct staff not to allow other people to follow them into secure areas during entry. 
• Install video surveillance systems to monitor staff access to sensitive areas.
• Secure refrigerators, freezers, and cabinets containing hazardous agents with appropriate locks.

Emergency planning

Laboratory personnel should be familiar with facility policies and procedures regarding emergency situations. An effective laboratory emergency plan should cover the following safety and security procedures:

• Conduct regular evacuation drills to ensure staff know proper evacuation procedures, including where to gather during an evacuation, who to check in with, how to determine  when the building is safe to reenter, and who decides when evacuation is necessary.
• Note when fire sprinkler testing is performed by your facilities staff, and make sure it is completed on a regular basis.
• Establish emergency equipment shutdown procedures for sensitive equipment that could be damaged by power surges or temperature extremes during an emergency.
• Provide fire extinguisher training to lab staff and instruct them on how and when to use extinguishers safely.
• Offer guidance on when sheltering in place is appropriate, including active shooter training for lab staff.
• Train lab staff to identify and respond safely to suspicious mail or phone calls.
• Implement procedures for handling violent behavior in the workplace.
• Provide first aid and CPR training to lab staff.

Lab staff are advised to work with your institution’s emergency planner or your security staff to help develop your emergency plan. 

Operational continuity for labs

Ensuring operational continuity in a laboratory requires planning for disruptions so that critical research, safety, and security functions can continue without interruption. Laboratories can ensure continuity by taking the following proactive steps:

• Identify your lab’s most critical functions and assign staff and resources to maintain them if an emergency reduces staffing or disrupts normal operations.
• Cross-train staff so those who can access the lab during an emergency are prepared to handle all essential functions. 
• Coordinate with vendors and purchasing departments to anticipate supply chain delays and source critical supplies that may be in short supply during an emergency.
• Establish leadership succession plans that specify who to contact and in what order if several members of the leadership team are unavailable during an emergency.
• Adapt operations to limited space, including implementing shift schedules, to ensure critical lab functions continue during emergencies.

Emergency planning is an ongoing process that must be updated regularly as lab personnel, equipment, and procedures change. Regular drills provide an excellent opportunity to assess staff responses to emergencies and identify areas where more training may be needed. By combining proactive measures to protect equipment, reagents, and samples with a comprehensive emergency plan and proper staff training, labs can reduce panic during a disaster and enable personnel to respond confidently and calmly to any emergency.