44.107:  Biohazards

SUPERCEDED as of May 28, 2009

Current Version

Status:	Approved on January 6, 2004	Signatures and dates on archival copy
Effective:	when approved
Initiated by:	Charles Hart Director of Environmental Health and Safety
Reviewed by:	Herman ("Butch") Hill, Chair Policy and Procedure Review Committee
Endorsed by:	Gary North Vice President for Administration
Approved by:	Stephen Kopp Provost

Purpose

To standardize procedures for the safe handling, containment, and disposal of etiologic agents, "select agents" as defined by CDC and USDA, potentially infectious clinical materials, oncogenic viruses, invertebrate vectors of human disease, human blood products and other potentially infectious materials, recombinant DNA products, carcinogens and related materials that are known to cause or may be capable of causing infection or disease in humans. To comply with all applicable governmental regulations and required guidelines. To insure as much as possible, a safe and healthful workplace and campus environment.

Policy

All persons intending to conduct research or otherwise use the listed materials on campus or in University-sponsored, -funded, or -sanctioned activities on or off campus will comply with all applicable regulations, NIH Guidelines for Recombinant DNA Research, guidelines of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), policies of Ohio University, and policies and standard operating procedures (SOP's) of the Ohio University Biosafety Program. The Biosafety Program is administered by the Ohio University Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), in conjunction with the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). The IBC reports to the Vice President for Research. The Biosafety Officer (BSO) in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety coordinates the Biosafety Program and the activities of the IBC for Ohio University. The Biosafety Program is documented in the Biosafety Manual, which is available on-line from http://www.ohiou.edu/ehs/biosafety/. This policy covers all university units and grant-funded or commercial operations conducted on university property or using university services.

Procedures

All persons intending to use the listed materials for research, teaching or related purposes on or off campus, must receive the approval of the IBC prior to beginning the work, if the proposed work involves materials at or above Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2). A risk assessment will be conducted by the principal investigator, and information submitted to the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), in the form prescribed by the committee; dealing with the laboratory facilities, clinical or field protocols and procedures, containment methods, emergency procedures, waste disposal, occupational health and safety, regulatory compliance and other information as required. Approval of the IBC will be in writing for experiments or uses at or above BSL2.

The IBC meets several times a year, and as needed. All employees will comply with regulations, such as those required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), U. S. Department of Agriculture, Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Health (ODH), Ohio Division of Industrial Relations/Public Employees Risk Reduction Program, U. S. Postal Service, and other agencies and with all applicable guidelines or other requirements such as those issued by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). All persons will comply with applicable requirements of the IBC and Ohio University. For information, contact the Ohio University Biosafety Officer or the Chair of the IBC.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Policy and Procedure Review Committee

2. Vice President for Research

3. Associate Provost for Graduate Studies

4. Chair of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

5. Director of Research Compliance

6. Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

Forms

The following form is specific to this policy:

1. The IBC Proposal Review form is is available on-line from http://www.ohiou.edu/ehs/general/forms.htm#research.

Dick Piccard revised this file (http://www.ohio.edu/policy/S44-107.html) on June 1, 2009.

Please E-mail any comments or suggestions to "policy@ohio.edu".