EHS partners with UniFirst Corporation to provide a no-cost lab coat rental program for research and teaching lab staff. Lab coats are unisex in sizing. This program was made possible through financial support from Safety and Risk Services with backing from the Laboratory Safety Advisory Committee. 

How to Request A Lab Coat 

Ask your PI or supervisor which type of lab coat you need.

For a general-purpose white coat: 

• Fill out the Lab Coat Request Form.

For a blue barrier or flame-resistant coat: 

• First your supervisor or PI must submit a Blue Lab Coat Approval Form once a year.
• After you receive blue coat approval from EHS, fill out the Lab Coat Request Form.

An email will be sent to the lab member after EHS staff has reviewed the request. Lab coats may be picked up in the EHS Office at Onyx Bridge, Room 72 during business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 5:00 pm).

Cleaning

The vendor will launder, repair, and replace coats as needed. To return a coat for cleaning and get a new coat, fill out the Lab Coat Request Form and bring your dirty coat to the EHS office. 

Lab Coat Program Rules

• Knight Campus labs have a different lab coat rental program.
• Only one coat may be checked out per person. Exceptions are made for graduate teaching assistants to have one coat for their teaching lab and one coat for their research lab.
• Users must not mark or deface coats. The total replacement cost of a damaged or lost coat will be charged to the lab.
• Lab coats should be returned at least once per year for cleaning. We encourage you to return the coat when it gets a little dirty to avoid a replacement fee.
• Lab coats will be held for one week after the request review date. After that date we cannot guarantee availability. 

Participation Terms

Lab members and PIs are required to agree to these terms to participate in the UO Lab Coat Program:

In exchange for use of the Lab Coat Program, lab members will agree not to mark or deface the lab coats in anyway. Any lab that returns a coat that is damaged, stained, or abused beyond repair or cleaning will be charged a total replacement fee. Lab are also responsible for paying the replacement cost for lost coats. 

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Lab Coat Types and Sizes

Lab coats are a type of personal protective equipment used to provide arm and body protection when working with hazardous chemicals and/or biohazardous materials. There are different lab coat types appropriate for different lab hazards. 

PIs or supervisors are responsible for choosing the correct lab coat type for each lab member based on their job hazards. EHS is available to consult with supervisors on selecting the appropriate type of lab coat. 

All lab coat types provide limited splash protection. A chemical resistant apron and/or other fluid-resistant PPE should be used if there is the potential for splashing of high hazard chemicals and/or large volumes of chemicals. Like all PPE, lab coats should be thought of as the last line of defense against chemical exposure and cannot replace engineering controls like fume hoods, glove boxes, or biosafety cabinets. 

General Purpose White Coat

• 80/20 polyester/cotton blend
• Light splash resistance
• Appropriate for: the majority of laboratory work at UO.

Light Blue Barrier Coat

• Polyester fluid-resistant barrier on coat front and sleeves.
• Back is poly/cotton blend.
• Appropriate for: work with biohazardous materials.
• Not appropriate for: working with strong acids and bases. Consider a chemical-resistant apron instead.

Dark Blue Flame Resistant Coat

• Fabric is self-extinguishing, to minimize the severity and amount of burn injury.
• Appropriate for: working with pyrophoric reagents outside of a glovebox with an inert atmosphere. (NRPA 45 Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals, section 6.6.2)
• Under the FR coat and on the legs/feet, users must also wear clothing composed of fabrics that will not melt. (NFPA 45, section 6.6.4)
• In limited cases, FR coats may be appropriate for working with large volumes of highly flammable chemicals near an open flame. Please consult with EHS.
• Not appropriate for: hot work such as welding or brazing. Does not insulate against heat.