Inherent to work in a modern biomedical research institution, individuals may be exposed to biological, chemical or radioactive agents. All activities involving the use of such potentially hazardous agents must be conducted in accordance with the policies and procedures detailed in the Biological Safety Manual, the Chemical Hygiene Plan, and the Radiation Safety Manual. The information contained in the procedural section of this policy is intended to provide an overview; for specific procedural information, consult the specific manuals. Failure to comply with the policies and procedures detailed in the Biological Safety Manual, the Chemical Hygiene Plan, and the Radiation Safety Manual may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination or expulsion.
This policy applies to all university employees, residents, postdoctoral or research fellows, and students working with biological, chemical, radioactive materials, and/or radiation producing devices.
Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Office of Environmental Heath & Safety (EH&S).
Work with infectious agents designated as requiring biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) or biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) facilities and practices, as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institutes of Health Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories publication, and work with recombinant DNA, as described by the National Institutes of Health Guidelines for the Use of Recombinant DNA Molecules, must be registered with the Institutional Biosafety Committee prior to initiation of any research activities. Additionally, work with Select Agents or Toxins requires additional controls and registration with either the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the United States Department of Agriculture prior to initiation of work. EH&S can assist with the proper designation of agent categories and appropriate application forms, including select agent registration.
Activities involving the use of chemicals classified as acutely toxic, carcinogenic, reproductive hazard, pesticide, explosive, controlled substance or nanoparticles require the submission of an application to the Chemical Safety Committee prior to the initiation of work. EH&S is available to assist the identification of chemicals associated with a particular protocol that may necessitate the submission of an application.
Activities involving the use of radioactive materials or radiation producing devices require the submission of an application to the Radiation Safety Committee prior to the initiation of work. Before a principal investigator may acquire any quantity of radioactive material or any radiation-producing device, whether by purchase, loan, or gift, an application for its use must be approved by the university’s Radiation Safety Committee. EH&S is available to assist with the submission of an application. All authorized users of radioactive materials must comply with the conditions of their authorization and of the radioactive materials license of the university. Refer to the Radiation Safety Manual for a list of the responsibilities of the authorized user.
Careful judgment must be used in selecting safeguards for any proposed activity that involves biological agents, chemical agents, or radioactive materials and radiation-producing devices. Consideration must be given to operations that involve large quantities of such agents, or complex procedures having a significant potential for producing aerosols of contamination. When these or similar situations exist, the principal investigator must obtain guidance from EH&S before initiating the proposed activity and apply for approval of the Institutional Biosafety Committee, the Chemical Safety Committee, or the Radiation Safety Committee as appropriate. The principal investigator must keep informed of the approval requirements established by these committees.
All employees, postdoctoral fellows and students who work with or who may be potentially exposed to hazardous materials must receive information and training in accordance with HOOP Policy 23.11 Research Training and as outlined in the applicable safety manuals.
Safeguards selected by principal investigators must, at a minimum, strictly adhere to good laboratory practices such as those surveyed for during periodic laboratory surveys. Standard precautions (also known as universal precautions) have been adopted by the university that should be adhered to by all personnel and students who work in university laboratories or clinical settings.
All laboratory workers must dispose of regulated waste in accordance with the policies and procedures detailed in the Chemical Hygiene Plan, the Biological Safety Manual and the Radiation Safety Manual. For more information regarding the disposal of hazardous chemical, infectious waste, or radioactive waste see HOOP Policy 18.10 Environmental Management and Hazardous Waste Disposal.
Updated 08/05, 08/07, 03/08, 01/09
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