General Policies
University Policy Number 1406
Subject: Laboratory Safety Compliance
Responsible Parties: Provost’s Office, Office of Laboratory Safety and Laboratory Personnel
Procedures: As outlined in Mason's Laboratory Safety Manuals
Related University Policies: N/A
I. SCOPE
This policy addresses laboratory safety compliance in George Mason University’s
(Mason) instructional and research laboratories at all University locations
and applies to all laboratory personnel, students, and visitors.
II. POLICY STATEMENT
It is the responsibility of Mason employees, students, and visitors to
conduct laboratory work, research, courses, and activities in a manner
that will not adversely impact themselves, other personnel, students,
the surrounding community, Mason property, or the environment. The implementation
of a comprehensive laboratory safety program relies on the complete support
and cooperation from all university entities.
The University will strive to continuously improve laboratory and environmental
safety performance by adhering to all relevant federal, state, and location
regulations and guidelines.
III. DEFINITIONS
“Employee” means a person who works for the University full-time
or part-time and is paid through the University’s payroll system.
“Faculty” means an employee who is appointed as a member of the instructional, research, or administrative faculty, including visiting faculty and post-doctoral fellows.
“Staff” means an employee who is not a member of the faculty or a student.
“Student” means a person who is officially enrolled in a course or program of study offered by the University.
“Visitor” means any person that is not an employee, faculty,
staff, or student but is participating in laboratory activities in facilities
owned or under the control of Mason.
If a person is covered by more than one of these definitions, the applicable
provisions of this policy are those that relate to the functions he or
she performs. For example, administrative faculty are covered by provisions
relating to faculty when they are performing instructional, research,
or other scholarly functions and by provisions relating to staff when
they are performing administrative functions.
“Laboratory” means “a workplace where relatively small quantities of hazardous chemicals are used on a non-production basis (defined by Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 29 CFR 1910.1450).
“Laboratory Personnel” means faculty (professional, administrative, and research), staff (classified, wage, and student wage), and students (graduate students, undergraduate students, laboratory assistants, etc.) working in laboratories and laboratory support areas. This term does not refer to students enrolled in instructional laboratory courses.
IV. RESPONSIBILITIES
A. All laboratory personnel, students, and visitors at Mason are required to adhere to all OLS policies, plans, procedures, manuals, memorandums, and directives.
B. Responsibility for implementation of this policy lies with the OLS which reports to the Vice President for Research (VPR). The OLS’ specific responsibilities include:
1. Develop and administers plans, policies, and procedures related to laboratory and environmental health and safety for instructional and research laboratories at Mason.
2. Provide technical assistance in all matters of laboratory safety.
3. Inspect laboratories to ensure compliance with all Mason’s laboratory safety policies and procedures.
4. Provide initial, general laboratory safety training for laboratory personnel.
5. Serves as Mason’s primary point of contact with local, state, and federal officials regarding codes, regulations, and reporting requirements in the area of laboratory safety.
6. Assist employees, students, and volunteers with the evaluation and control of laboratory hazards (physical, chemical, biological, and radiological).
7. Assist the Occupational Health Office (OHO) in determining the exposure risk of exposure for laboratory personnel to laboratory hazards (physical, chemical, biological, and radiological) and notify the OHO of any change in status of the type of research being performed by personnel or of non-compliance with medical safety practices.
8. Coordinate with the Assistant Vice President of Safety and Chief University Safety Officer on all matters influencing laboratory and environmental health and safety.
9. Coordinate with the Emergency Planner in the University Safety Office regarding large-scale spills and/or releases.
10. Provide basic laboratory safety training as required.
11. Maintain all laboratory safety audit, inspection, and monitoring documentation.
12. Report relevant information concerning laboratory and environmental health and safety at Mason to the Safety Review Committees.
13. Implement corrective actions and recommendations of the Safety Review Committees.
14. Serve as staff support for Safety Review Committees.
15. Execute authority to order remedial action or close down a laboratory project or a laboratory as a whole when immediate or significant hazards are present that could endanger life, the environment, or property at Mason.
16. Work closely with the Office of Research Subject Protections (ORSC), the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and the Human Subjects Review Board (HSRB) on university policy and regulatory compliance regarding laboratory hazards.
17. Work closely with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) as necessary.
18. Review architectural and construction documents for general health and safety concerns before, during, and after construction or renovation for all academic buildings that house research and instructional laboratories.
19. Approve, prior to the work or renovation taking place, all plans for renovation of existing laboratory spaces and plans to redefine or convert the function of a space to or from a laboratory space.
C. The VPR is responsible for appointing faculty and ex-officio members to the Institutional Biosafety Committee, Laboratory Safety Committee, and Radiation Safety Committee.
V. COMPLIANCE
A. The OLS performs routine inspections of laboratories and laboratory support spaces to verify laboratory safety compliance.
B. The OLS Safety Review Committees (Biosafety, Laboratory Safety, and Radiation Safety Committees) review all instructional and research projects involving laboratory hazards, make safety-related recommendations, and determine appropriate sanctions to deal with noncompliance.
C. Under authority granted by the University President
and the direction of the Vice President for Research, the OLS may suspend
or cease laboratory operations that are not in full compliance with OLS
plans, policies, and procedures.
VII. EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPROVAL
This policy is effective upon date of signature below. This policy shall
be reviewed and revised, if necessary, annually to become effective at
the beginning of the University's fiscal year, unless otherwise noted.
Approved:
_______________________
Maurice W. Scherrens
Senior Vice President
________________________
Peter N. Stearns
Provost
Date approved: September 26, 2005