2. T h e b i o s a f e t y p r o g r a m i s d e s i g n e d t o p r o t e c t l a b p e r s o n n e l a n d t h e
p u b l i c f r o m p o t e n t i a l e x p o s u r e t o i n f e c t i o u s a g e n t s , a n d t o p r e ve n t
t h e r e l e a s e o f a g e n t s h a r m f u l t o p l a n t s o r a n i m a l s .
T h e p r o g r a m i n c l u d e s a n u m b e r o f c o m p o n e n t s s u c h a s d e t e r m i n i n g
l a b o r a t o r y c o n t a i n m e n t r e q u i r e m e n t s ( p h ys i c a l a n d
o p e r a t i o n a l c o n t r o l s ) ; m e d i c a l s u r ve i l l a n c e ( i n c l u d i n g i m m u n i z a t i o n
w h e r e a p p r o p r i a t e ) ; c l a s s r o o m a n d o n l i n e t r a i n i n g ; a n d c o m p l i a n c e
w i t h r e g u l a t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r i m p o r t i n g a n d s h i p p i n g b i o l o g i c a l
a g e n t s . s u c h p r o g r a m i n c l u d e p o l i c i e s
T h i s p o l i c y a p p l i e s t o a l l p e r s o n s ( i n c l u d i n g c o n c o r d i a e m p l o ye e s ,
s t u d e n t s , r e s e a r c h e r s , s e r vi c e p r o vi d e r s , c o n t r a c t e m p l o ye e s o r a n y
o t h e r p e r s o n s ) i n vo l ve d w i t h t h e a c q u i s i t i o n , h a n d l i n g , s t o r a g e ,
r e m o va l o r d i s p o s a l o f b i o h a z a r d o u s m a t e r i a l s o n u n i ve r s i t y
p r e m i s e s .
INTRODUCTION
3. The purpose of the biosafety policy is to provide a safe w ork
environment and establish a framew ork w hereby different
universities can manage its biohazardous materials in a
responsible manner w hile maintaining its service, teaching
and research missions. to this end, it is committed to
ensuring supervised that individuals using biohazardous
materials are suitably trained and adequately.
Purpose and applicability
4. GENERAL POLICIES
1. Requires registration of all research and teaching programs involving human subjects,
animals, recombinant DNA and other biological organisms and materials; and ensures
University compliance with all federal and state regulations and recommendations pertaining to
research in these areas
2 . E s t a bl i s h es p o l i c i es f o r t h e s a f e c o n d u c t o f r e s e a r c h t h a t p r o t e c t t h e
h e al t h o f u n i v e r s i t y e m p l o ye e s , t h e c o m m u ni t y a n d t h e e n v i ro n m e n t
f r o m e x p o s u r e t o p o t e n t i a l l y h a r m f u l b i o l o g i c a l m a t e r i a l s .
3 . D e t e r m i n e s t h e n e c e s s i t y f o r h e al t h s u r v e i l l an c e o f p e r s o n n el
i nv ol v e d i n r e s e a r c h wi t h r e c o m b i na n t D NA o r o t h e r b i ol o gi c al
o r g a n i s m s / m a t e r i a l s .
4 . a s s i s t s p r i n c i pal i n v e s t i g a t o r s i n c o m p l yi n g wi t h r e g u l a t i o ns a n d
g u i d e l i n e s t h a t a r e a p p l i c ab l e t o t h e i r r e s e a r c h .
5 . E s t a bl i s he s a n i n s ti t u t i o nal b i o s a f e t y c o m m i t t e e ( I B C ) ; a p p oi n ts
m e m b e r s t o s e r v e o n t h e c o m m i t t ee a n d e n s u r e s t h a t t h e c o m m i t t e e
h a s a d e q u a t e e x p e r t i s e a n d t r a i n i n g .
6 . R e p o r t a n y s i g ni fi c a n t p r o b l e m s o r v i o l a ti o n s o f N I H g u i d el i n e s a nd
a n y s i g n i f i c a n t r e s e a r c h - r e l a t e d a c c i d e n t o r i l l ne s s t o N I H / O B A .
5. BIOSAFETY PROGRAM
The Biosafety Program shall be coordinated by the Environmental Health and
Safety Office, and shall include procedures for the acquisition, handling,
responsible use, storage, transportation and disposal of biohazardous materials
and make provision for the following
designation of responsibility
acquisition
information and training
storage
engineering controls
6. engineering controls
safety devices and personal protective equipment
record keeping
registration and reporting to external compliance agencies
accident and incident investigation
spill response
emergency preparedness and response
biohazardous waste collection and disposal
7. DISPOSAL OF BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE.
The Environmental Health and Safety Office shall organize and coordinate the
Biosafety Program and shall arrange for the disposal of biohazardous waste
by a suitable commercial disposal company.
All biohazardous waste scheduled for disposal shall be stored in a safe,
suitable location by the commercial disposal company. Maximum storage time
shall be one year.
8. All materials designated for disposal shall be properly packaged in
containers suited to the type of waste. The containers shall be tightly sealed
and in good condition.
Packaging, identification and labeling of wastes and their transport to the
temporary holding area are the responsibility of the waste generators.
All containers shall be properly labeled with the name of the material, its
chemical class, quantity, the laboratory or room from which it came, the
name of the person(s) whose activity produced the waste, and the date.
9. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The institutional biosafety committee (IBC) is a university- wide
committee charged with formulating policy and procedures
related to the use of biohazardous agents, including : human
pathogens, oncogenic viruses, other infectious agents, and
recombinant DNA.
The committee sets containment levels in accordance with
national institutes of health (NIH) and centers for disease control
and prevention (CDC) guidelines
The office of environmental health and radiation safety (EHRS)
is the operational arm of the IBC. it provides instruction and
training on safe work practices
The institutional biosafety officer (BSO) is responsible for
development and review of the biological safety manual, and
other related documents, development of infectious waste
disposal policies and procedures , regulations and plans for
emergency response to accidental biohazard spills and personnel
contamination .
10. The bso and the biosafety staff perform periodic laboratory
inspections, investigate laboratory accidents, and provide
training and technical advice to principal investigators and
staff on research safety procedures.
The facilities department in each lab is responsible for the
removal, packaging, and shipment of all infectious waste in
accordance with local, state, and federal regulations.
The principal investigator (pi) is responsible for full
compliance with approved research protocols, the university
biological safety manual, the occupational safety and health
administration (OSHA) bloodborne pathogen standard
(human-derived materials) and other local and federal
regulations that apply to research.
11. environmental health and safety office shall :
provide information, technical assistance and advice to
individuals and departments on the management of
biohazardous materials ;
organize and maintain the spill response and emergency
procedures through the university hazardous materials
emergency response team;
maintain records of accidents and incidents and carry out
investigations as required;
provide general training sessions on biosafety;
investigate and respond to complaints and inquiries, and
report findings to the concordia university biosafety committee
on a regular basis, the central advisory health and safety
committee as requested, and the vice-president, services, as
required;
report to external compliance agencies as required and
represent the university to external compliance agencies;
keep abreast of legislation concerning biohazardous
materials and the environment, and to advise the university
administration
12. All responsibilities include verifying that all work with
biohazardous agents conducted at the university is in
accordance with applicable legislation& guidelines
STEPS TO BE TAKEN BY UNIVERSITIES ORGANIZATION
WHILE CONDUCTING RESEARCH
All research projects involving potentially hazardous biological
materials will be registered in the office.
Review reported incidents/accidents and exposures and make
recommendations for corrections
Report non-compliance to the respective department head and
to the respective supervising dean or director with
recommendations for appropriate action
POLICIES SET UP PROGRAMS
APPLIED ON UNIVERSITY LEVEL
13. DEAN
The dean shall be responsible for the overall conduct of
scientific research carried out in his/her respective faculty
in accordance with the environmental health and safety
Dean shall be responsible for the implementation of the
biosafety program in accordance with the environmental
health and safety policy (vps-40).
To ensure that the workplace inspections are performed
on a regular basis and that recommended corrections are
addressed
biosafety manuals should be each laboratory and must
ensure that all staff and students working within their
laboratories are aware of these procedures
14. TEACHER
It is the responsibility of individual teacher:
To be familiar with all University and departmental safety instructions, whether
written or oral, and to comply with such instructions when performing assigned
duties;
To report all accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials to their
immediate supervisor and the Environmental Health and Safety Office.
employee who have not received appropriate training and specific hazard information,
or who cannot be adequately supervised, shall not use or handle biohazardous
materials.
15. VISITORS .
visitors are not permitted entry into areas where biohazardous
materials are used or stored unless they have received
university-specific training and information and appropriate
supervision is provided.
STUDENTS
It is the responsibility of individual students:
To follow all of the instructions provided
to wear the required protective equipment
To report, without delay, all accidents and incidents to their immediate supervisor.
.
