Hazardous chemicals present physical and/or health threats to workers in clinical, industrial, and academic laboratories.

Laboratory chemicals include cancer-causing agents (carcinogens), toxins (e.g., those affecting the liver, kidney, and nervous system), irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, as well as agents that act on the blood system or damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes.

Repetitive motion injuries develop over time and occur when muscles and joints are stressed, tendons are inflamed, nerves are pinched and the flow of blood is restricted.

Standing and working in awkward positions in front of laboratory hoods/biological safety cabinets can also present ergonomic problems.

[8] The fundamental objectives of radiation protection measures are: Workers should be trained to recognize the potential for exposure to burns or cuts that can occur from handling or sorting hot sterilized items or sharp instruments when removing them from autoclaves/sterilizers or from steam lines that service the autoclaves.

[11] Cryogens, substances used to produce very low temperatures [below -153 °C (-243 °F)], such as liquid nitrogen (LN2) which has a boiling point of -196 °C (-321 °F), are commonly used in laboratories.

When pouring a cryogen, working with a wide-mouth Dewar flask, or around the exhaust of cold boil-off gas, use of a full face shield is recommended.

A flexible electrical cord may be damaged by door or window edges, by staples and fastenings, by equipment rolling over it, or simply by aging.

However, the risk of severe injury or death is significant because fuel load and hazard levels in labs are typically very high.