Environmental Health & Safety

The purpose of the HCLOG committee is to provide advice, guidance, and leadership oversight for biosafety and biosecurity management of all UC campus activities involving high-containment (also known as Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3)) laboratories.  A 2015 UC Presidential directive to campus Chancellors and Medical Center Chief Executive Officers authorized the HCLOG in response to recommendations provided by the UC Office of the President Task Force on Biosafety and Biosecurity. The HCLOG, in coordination with other campus departments and committees such as the IBC or IACUC, reviews and approves all plans for work conducted in high containment laboratory facilities.  The review process includes, but is not limited to, the status and suitability of facilities and equipment for the proposed work, the qualifications and training requirements for BSL-3 personnel, and the training requirements for emergency & incident management.  The HCLOG is also responsible for additional charges as outlined in its charter.  The HCLOG compiles all relevant information through the campus High Containment Laboratory Director (HCLD) and disseminates this information to appropriate stakeholders.  

Administrator: Tran Phan, Biosafety Officer/High Containment Laboratory Director

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) functions as the UCR review body responsible for approval and oversight of activities involving the use, storage and handling of biohazardous materials (defined below), in accordance with the NIH's Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines), the CDC's Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), and other regulatory or guidance documents. The IBC may choose to implement additional guidelines or policies based on risk assessments as outlined in the IBC Charter.

Meeting Frequency: 4th Thursday of each month

Administrator: Robert Miers, Assistant Biosafety Officer/IBC Administrator

Biosafety Officer/High Containment Lab Director: Tran Phan

For more information, click here.

The Laboratory Safety Contact (LSC) is appointed by their Principal Investigator to assist in identifying and addressing safety concerns, overseeing safety practices in daily operations and is the primary liaison for safety in the laboratory. Designating a Laboratory Safety Contact allows each PI and research group to have tailored safety support and ensures all EH&S requirements are fulfilled. Identifying the Laboratory Safety Contact should allow for balanced responsibilities and should not overburden any one person.

Laboratory Safety Contact Core Responsibilities:

• Attend a Laboratory Safety Contact orientation meeting provided by EH&S to become familiar with EH&S resources and Research Safety program requirements.
• Support the PI by helping assure safety program elements are addressed.
• Serve as a conduit for information exchange between lab personnel and EH&S in helping to communicate safety and regulatory information.
• Work with EH&S to coordinate periodic laboratory evaluations conducted by EH&S.
• Distribute communications about required corrective actions resulting from periodic laboratory evaluations.
• Engage with EH&S to develop lab-specific and process-specific standard operating procedures (SOPs), and ensure all lab personnel review, sign and comply with SOPs.
• Report all incidents and near misses to EH&S and facilitate in corrective actions.
• Inform individuals about the requirements to obtain necessary training as identified by their supervisor, department, college and EH&S.  Promote safety, health, and environmental training programs and workshops. 

Responsibilities Potentially Delegated to the Laboratory Safety Contact at the discretion of the PI:

• Encourage and remind all lab personnel to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (i.e. long pants, closed toe/heel shoes, lab coat, safety eyewear) while in the lab and share concerns of non-compliance with PI.
• Request and coordinate assistance from EH&S and other organizations that can provide safety guidance, training, and other services to assist laboratory personnel. 
• Collaborate with Emergency Management on emergency planning efforts and response.
• Attend EH&S training programs (and other safety, health, and environmental training programs and workshops) to increase and maintain knowledge about safety, health, and environmental issues that are applicable to the areas they represent. 
• Be aware that changes in chemical use in a particular laboratory may require a re-evaluation of laboratory ventilation. 
• Ensure new lab members are completing required EH&S training courses and lab site-specific training is documented. 

Annual:

• Review all door placards annually and ensure placards are up to date. 
• Verify LHAT accuracy, especially for “Certified Hazard Free” labs 

Responsibilities that PI Cannot Delegate to a Laboratory Safety Contact:

• Ensure that laboratory personnel follow the Chemical Hygiene Plan, Biosafety Plan, Radiation Safety Plan, etc. 
• Have overall responsibility for chemical, biological, radiological hygiene, and physical safety in the laboratory.
• Ensure that training for laboratory personnel is adequate for the hazards present in the lab.
• Enforce safety regulations and policies.
• At the earliest awareness, notify EH&S of the faculty members retirement or UCR departure or laboratory groups move so proper laboratory decommissioning can occur. For more information, see the Lab/Equipment Relocation and Clearance Guide.
   

Administrator: Patrick Monnig, Chemical Hygiene Officer, Lab Safety Programs Manager

The Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) functions as the UCR review body responsible for approval and oversight of activities involving the use, storage, and handling of radioactive materials, radiation producing machines, and class 3B/4 LASERs, in accordance with the campus radioactive materials license, CDPH-RHB regulations, and LASER related ANSI standards. The RSC may choose to implement additional guidelines or policies based on risk assessments as outlines in the RSC charter. 

Meeting Frequency: Quarterly

Administrator (RSC Chair): Dr. Morris Maduro, Chair and Professor of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology

Radiation and LASER Safety Officer: Gary Bosgraaf, CHP

The Research Integrated Safety Committee (RISC) is primarily charged with promoting a culture of safety on campus through reviewing, advising, and making recommendations on campus risks associated with safe acquisition, storage, use, and disposal of hazardous materials, physical hazards found in research and teaching laboratories, other technical areas in locations owned or managed by UCR. The RISC can also recommend implementation of policies and procedures which meet or exceed regulatory requirements. The committee’s members represent a diversity of disciplines to support the campus mission of research, teaching and outreach.

Frequency: Second Monday of Every Even Month

Administrator: Tiffany Kwok, Assistant Director, Research Safety