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NEW INVESTIGATORS: A QUICK GUIDE TO STARTING YOUR RESEARCH AT UCSF Obtaining Regulatory Committee Approvals
- Other Topics: OBTAINING REGULATORY COMMITTEE APPROVALS Working with Chemicals
• What does UCSF consider to be a hazardous chemical? What does UCSF consider to be a hazardous chemical? The use of chemicals at UCSF is considered to represent potential hazard. These hazards range from health and safety to environmental protection. UCSF policies and procedures have one single, straightforward purpose - to protect all UCSF patients, students, visitors, employees, and the community against unnecessary and potentially harmful chemical exposure. What approval do I need to work with chemicals? There is no specific chemical authorization from the Chemical And Environmental Safety Committee (CESC). The Office of Environmental Health & Safety (OEH&S) routinely inspects your laboratories for safe handling, containment, and disposal of all chemical materials. However as the Principal Investigator, you are required to maintain a complete and accurate Chemical Inventory and to provide OEH&S with an update every two years, which notes whenever there has been a significant change in your chemical inventory, e.g. changes exceeding 20%. Either you or someone you appoint to delegate the day-to-day safety program implementation and oversight will be designated as the Laboratory Chemical Safety Officer (CSO). This designee then becomes the primary contact for the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, and the Chemical Safety Committee. Always consult with your Departmental Safety Advisor (DSA) on the safe use, storage and disposal of chemicals. Who determines the chemical use policies and procedures at UCSF? The Chemical and Environmental Safety Committee (CESC) is charged to review the technical, environmental and safety-related aspects of laboratory research involving the use of hazardous and toxic substances. It also is charged with certifying that facilities, procedures and practices have been reviewed and approved. They set the guidelines that OEH&S will use when it inspects your handling and use of chemicals in your laboratory. Contact the Technical Committees Coordinator at (415) 476-2198 for more information. The CESC arbitrates any campus disagreements regarding laboratory practices and has the authority to limit or revoke, as authorized by the Chancellor, an investigator’s authority to use hazardous or toxic materials if such use presents a hazard to individuals or violates health and safety codes. What resources and training are available to me at UCSF? To assist the Campus in achieving its health and safety goals, OEH&S provides:
Relevant policies and procedures: The Chemical Safety Manual describes the policies and procedures that are expected of UCSF hospitals, Principal Investigators (PIs) and laboratory workers in managing their chemical laboratories and inventories, and in satisfying legislative and regulatory requirements of outside agencies. The campus program has been developed to promote safe use of chemicals without limiting academic freedom. The DSA will review your laboratory for compliance with these policies |
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