1. SUKESHI MEHTA COORDINATOR, CHEMICAL SAFETY OFFICE OF RADIATION, CHEMICAL & BIOLOGICAL SAFETY SMEHTA@EMAIL.ARIZONA.EDU 520-626-6736 FRIDAY OCTOBER 3 RD, 2014 The Evolution of Research Safety Committees

2. Purpose of a Research Safety Committee Required or recommended by a regulatory agency  Specific requirements dictated by the regulatory authority Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency National Institutes of Health Occupational Safety and Health Administration Universal purpose:  Oversight  Direction  Expertise

3. Traditional Committee Model Committee members or a part-time staff member organize:  Agendas  Protocols for review  Supporting information Regular meetings held to complete the following for hazardous material protocols:  Distribution  Review  Discussion  Approval

4. Common Committee Pitfalls Lack of support Membership determined by university status Conflict of interest and a lack of recusals Committee control by a single discipline Loss of focus on the committee’s true purpose Disorganization of material presented to the committee

5. Administrative Support Support from the Senior Vice President for Research  Maintained through inclusion on key topics Dedicated Committee Support staff at the ORCBS  Organization of agenda and supporting information  Quality control review of protocols before committee review Technical support staff at the ORCBS  Remain current on requirements and recommendations to report to committee  Review of protocols to pre-empt common committee questions ORCBS = Office of Radiation, Chemical & Biological Safety

6. Member Selection Identify representative areas of research Select one respected individual from each research area  Productive, strong, willing members  Existing members not related to a required area of research were dismissed  Inclusion of community members for some committees Appropriate committee chair elected  Maintains the focus of committee discussions  Keeps the committee on task  Ensures quality of protocols before approval

7. Conflict of Interest Implement a recusal program New membership selection:  No one discipline has committee control  Members are comfortable questioning protocols regardless of source  Member and Chair appointments/election All protocols are reviewed without bias  Including those of committee members

8. Agenda Organization Make it easy for members to attend meetings  Compile and organize all information for committee meetings  Remove assumptions, report organized facts  Provide lunch Full agenda and supporting information sent to committee 1 week before meetings  Less time spent on review and administrative work during meetings  Committee members can simply bring their expertise

9. Current UofA Research Safety Committees

10. Research Safety Committee Development Laboratory Chemical Safety Committee  Program structure in development  Though not a regulatory requirement, will help create a sustainable Laboratory Chemical Safety Program  Will be modeled after existing research safety committees

11. Laboratory Chemical Safety Program Development Assessment of research community needs Input and support from influential departments and individuals within the University community  Receive assistance from the users

12. Laboratory Chemical Safety Program Development Development of necessary program framework and database functions  Inventory tracking & Safety Data Sheet availability  Room posting & container label generator  In-person training with online homework implementation and documentation

13. Current Program Review Structure Program development overseen by the Laboratory Chemical Hygiene Officer Utilizing input from safety-focused entities in the following departments  Chemistry & Biochemistry  Chemical & Environmental Engineering  Risk Management Services  University Research & Instrumentation Center

14. Collaboration Success Collaboration with department safety committees has already lead to improvements in lab safety policy  Implementation of an audit program  Sharing of relevant knowledge and standards  Lab coat replacement to 100% cotton for students  Reporting and follow-up structure for spills and non-compliance

15. Laboratory Chemical Safety Committee Implementation Existing relationships between ORCBS and UofA departments will be maintained and fostered within the committee The Laboratory Chemical Safety Committee will provide:  Oversight for the Laboratory Chemical Safety Program  Direction for Laboratory Chemical Safety Program policies  Expertise in reviewing hazardous chemical use in UofA laboratories ORCBS = Office of Radiation, Chemical & Biological Safety

16. Laboratory Chemical Safety Committee Obstacles Committee member balance between expertise and effectiveness Restructuring of a laboratory safety culture Large influx of plans to review for existing labs  Committee focus will be challenged  High frequency of committee meetings

17. Any Questions?