Lab Notebook Commentary: Transforming the Laboratory Notebook into a Framework for Risk Management

Abstract

Laboratory notebooks remain central to chemical research documentation, yet their use as primarily historical records no longer aligns with the complexity and risk profile of modern laboratory practice. To examine how safety information is recorded and accessed during laboratory work, an anonymous survey of 97 laboratory personnel from academic, industry, government, and clinical laboratories was conducted. The survey evaluated notebook practices, accessibility of safety resources, and the extent to which hazard identification and risk management are documented alongside experimental procedures. Survey results reveal inconsistent integration of safety planning into laboratory notebook entries. Although notebooks are widely used for experimental documentation, fewer than one-third of respondents reported consistently recording safety-related information directly within experimental entries. Many participants relied on external institutional systems or personnel to manage hazard information and Safety Data Sheets during experimental work. These findings suggest that safety information is frequently separated from experimental documentation, potentially limiting its accessibility during active laboratory work. The results highlight an opportunity to strengthen laboratory safety practices by more effectively integrating hazard awareness and risk management considerations within laboratory notebook documentation. Based on these findings, this work outlines a framework for incorporating structured safety information alongside experimental records to support continuity of risk communication and safer laboratory practice.