VCU offers the VCU community a variety of volunteer and shadowing opportunities in research labs. To provide a safe and compliant environment, research lab supervisors and sponsors must make sure that volunteers follow the onboarding protocols and other guidelines on the Human Resources Volunteer page. Volunteers must also participate in comprehensive safety training relevant to the potential hazards they may encounter in the research lab.

The principal investigator or supervisor must add volunteers to the lab’s SciShield profile so they can access health and safety information in applicable safety data sheets and standard operating procedures.  VCU volunteers should be added to SciShield as VCU affiliates so they can receive an eID and VCU email address. Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) can provide a temporary SciShield account for non-VCU volunteers.

Volunteers cannot enter the lab unsupervised. A lab supervisor, manager or their designee (an employee assigned to the lab) must be present during all volunteer activities.

Volunteers who are not VCU employees or VCU-registered students and will work with research animals must submit the required documents on the Office of Research and Innovation website.

VCU Health volunteers must comply with  the requirements and processes  on the Adult Volunteer Program (non-student) page and College Student Volunteer Program page.

Minors

Minors (i.e., individuals under the age of 18) participating in VCU-sponsored and hosted volunteer programs and activities must register with the Protection of Minors Office and adhere to the onboarding requirements on the Human Resources Volunteer page. Minor volunteers must have approval to enter a VCU lab. VCU employees overseeing minor volunteers must comply with Safety and Protection of Minors policy prior to the start of any volunteer opportunities.  

VCU labs with minor volunteers must also follow OHS limitations in labs with potential hazards:

Age limitations

• Persons under 12 years of age cannot enter labs for any reason.
• Persons aged 12-15 can only enter a lab as a part of an activity offered through an approved child or youth program.

Additional hazard-based requirements

Minors aged 16-17 participating in research or clinical activities may not work with the following materials:

• Biological materials (see the Biosafety Manual [PDF] for more information)
• Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture listed select agents and toxins
• Human pathogens including mammalian viral detectors and prions 
• Permit required animal or plant pathogens or materials
• Toxins of biological origin with an LD50 of < 100ug/kg body weight 
• Agents/applications classified at BSL-2+, ABSL-2 or greater

• Chemical materials
• Highly toxic chemicals LD50 < 300 mg/kg oral-rat (e.g. – Osmium Tetroxide, Acrylonitrile, Acetonitrile, Sodium Azide)
• Pyrophoric materials
• Explosives, shock sensitive, and air or water reactive materials
• Hydrofluoric acid, aqua regia
• Compressed toxic, corrosive or pyrophoric gasses
• Controlled substances

• Radiation (see Radiation Safety Guide [PDF] for additional information)
• Radioactive materials – sealed and unsealed sources
• X-Ray producing equipment
• Open beam lasers - class 3b or higher

• Physical hazards/locations
• High voltage equipment
• Class 3 or higher shop equipment
• Mechanical rooms
• Occupational Health and Safety Administration regulated confined spaces
• Roof top, construction areas, power plants, facility shops or commercial food preparation areas
• Any indoor or outdoor area containing operational power tools or machinery

Please note that VCU Health has separate requirements and processes for minors which can be found on their Junior Volunteer Program Page.