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3D Printing Health and Safety

A lab technician prepares one of three 3D printers for 3D modelling.

3D printers are powerful tools that convert computer models into physical objects. Also known as “additive manufacturing”, this process builds objects layer by layer, allowing complex shapes to be created efficiently in a variety of materials. While 3D printing offers exciting capabilities for many departments across TMU, users need to remain aware of the health and safety risks associated with the available printing technologies and materials and how to work with them safely.

Key resource 

 (google doc)  EHS document cover page  (external link) 

3D Printer Safety Manual

The  (google doc) 3D Printer Safety Program (external link)  details key hazards and safety practices designed to help prevent injuries and near-miss incidents related to 3D printing. It establishes minimum safety requirements, usage restrictions and best practices for operating 3D printers. Its purpose is to ensure safe use, reduce health and environmental risks and promote consistent procedures across campus for using additive manufacturing technologies.

Register your printer

All 3D printers must be registered upon acquisition by using the  (google form) 3D Printer Registration Form (external link) . It is recommended that users conduct a risk assessment using the available  (google doc) 3D Printer Risk Assessment Checklist (external link)  to identify and mitigate hazards before operating any 3D printer. For further assistance, please contact TMU’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) office at ehs@torontomu.ca.

User waiver and consent form

Anyone who will be using additive manufacturing technology at TMU must complete a  (google doc) 3D Printing Facility – User Waiver and Consent Form (external link)  and submit it to the printer facility supervisor (principal investigator, faculty, staff/technician) prior to using a 3D printer in a TMU facility. The waivers are kept on file by the facility for a term of seven years. 

The waivers are not transferrable between facilities, so if you are printing in more than one location on campus you must complete waivers for each printing facility.

Available Tip Sheets

To support safe and responsible printing, TMU provides quick-reference tip sheets tailored for different 3D printing technologies. These concise guides present essential safety recommendations suitable for everyday use:

These tip sheets complement the detailed safety manual and are valuable resources for easy lookup during printing activities. Please contact EHS team for easy-to-use QR Codes which can be attached to printers and linked to the corresponding tip sheet.