“We Didn’t Think That Through”: Emergency Response in Research Applications

In a normal, non-Covid year I do numerous safety audits of laboratories and research operations, something I also did many times during my 40 year tenure at ExxonMobil Research & Engineering. Almost invariably when I ask about a site’s emergency response plans, I am told they exist, are reviewed periodically, and there is no need to look at them. My experience often suggests otherwise.