Hydrogen Safety Culture

Especially when working with hydrogen, it’s critical that an organization maintains a robust safety culture, defined as "the common set of values, behaviors, and norms at all levels in a facility or in the wider organization that affect safety." ^[¹^]

Safety culture begins with clear signals from senior leadership that safety is the top priority, that resources will be available to ensure the safest possible systems and procedures, and that it is okay (and expected) to re-evaluate and question risks, procedures, and equipment regardless of an individual’s role or position. Importantly, safety culture requires ongoing reviews and training to ensure that risks don’t creep in over time.

Best practices for hydrogen lab supervisors are to:

Foster a safe work culture in the daily activities of all lab workers they supervise.
Assist with initial and periodic reviews of new or revised equipment and procedures to verify appropriate design, identify hazards, and establish appropriate safety controls.
Provide pertinent and periodic safety planning, training, and education.
Provide and maintain required personal protective equipment (PPE).
Provide and maintain safety equipment, such as laboratory fume hoods.
Provide emergency response equipment and procedures, such as safety showers and emergency plans.
Investigate all accidents – including near misses – and take appropriate steps to prevent reoccurrence.

With that in mind, best practices for hydrogen researchers are to:

Follow all safety regulations, rules, and procedures.
Maintain a positive and participatory attitude toward continuously improving safety.
Review new or revised equipment and procedures to verify appropriate design, identify hazards, and maintain appropriate safety controls.
Participate in all safety planning, meetings, and training.
Wear designated PPE.
Report any hazardous situations, accidents, and near-misses.