Youth in Labs
Do you want to have minors volunteer in or visit your laboratory?
- Auburn University’s Youth Protection Policy applies to programs, events, and activities involving non-enrolled minors under age 19.
- Complete the Youth in Laboratories Acknowledgement of Youth Protection Policy and Departmental Approval form and submit it to the Youth Protection Program. You will be contacted regarding background checks, youth protection training, and required parent/guardian forms.
- Contact the Laboratory Safety Program for safety guidelines and required trainings for the minor. The minor’s supervisor must provide task/project-specific training in addition to the lab safety trainings provided by the Laboratory Safety Program.
- Register in the Youth Protection Portal at least 30 days before the minors will arrive. If you have registered your event in the Campus Event Planning System, it will automatically be registered in the Youth Protection Portal as well.
- Minors who accompany Auburn University employees to the workplace for reasons other than participation in clinical services or research-type activities are not permitted in laboratories, shops, studios, mechanical rooms, power plants, garages, food preparation areas, or any areas containing power tools or machinery with exposed moving parts. Refer to the Policy on Children in the Workplace for more information.
- Questions? Contact the Youth Protection Program or the Laboratory Safety Program.
Do you want to employ minors in your laboratory?
- Federal and state law contain requirements and restrictions for employing individuals under 18 years of age. Contact Human Resources for information regarding age restrictions, prohibited occupations for minors, and the documentation required when employing minors.
- Contact the Laboratory Safety Program for safety guidelines and required trainings for the minor employee(s). Before the minor performs assigned duties in the lab, the minor’s supervisor must provide task/project-specific training in addition to the lab safety trainings provided by the Laboratory Safety Program.
Do you want to have adult visitors, adult volunteers, or visiting researchers or scholars in your lab?
- Contact the Laboratory Safety Program for safety guidelines and required safety training.
- Visitors, visiting researchers, or visiting scholars must sign a waiver. Volunteers must sign a volunteer acknowledgement and waiver. Contact Risk Management & Insurance for more information.
- Anyone performing work in an AU lab as a representative of a third-party employer should only do so if there is a signed agreement between AU and the third-party employer. Contact the Office of Innovation Advancement & Commercialization (334-844-4977) for more assistance.
