LABORATORY BIOSAFETY FOCUS FORUM (LBFF)

1. LABORATORY BIOSAFETY FOCUS FORUM (LBFF)

2. Office of Regulatory Affairs & Research Compliance • Delia Wolf • Leslie Howes • Stanley Estime • Staci Landis Environmental Health EHS-Biosafety • Dana Burns • Alice Bedugnis • Marshall Katler • Thomas Donaghey Genetics and complex diseases Epidemiology • Hardeep Ranu • David Ndegwa • Simon Muchohi Immunology & Infectious Diseases Occupational Health, EH, Epi • Noman Siddiqi • Jennifer Ford

3. Typical issues considered and discussed Lab safety issues Lab practices Training requirements Safety deficiency Compliance issues Knowledge gaps Awareness drive Sustainability Lab operational issues Program reviews

4. Our Partners are Harvard University Environmental Health Safety and Emergency Management team (EHS in short) HSPH Operations Department

5. Harvard has established the Committee on Microbiological Safety (COMS) to review DNA work and comply with the NIH rDNA Guidelines. COMS approval is required for grant application submittals. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) requires researchers to obtain Harvard COMS approval for the use of microbiological agents, human materials and viral vectors in animals before an animal protocol will be approved. Any use of human subjects in research must be registered with the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Institutional Oversight Committees IBC IRB IACUC

6. Roles and Responsibility

8. Environmental Safety Compliance Officer (ESCO) Under the authority delegated by the Deans and Senior University Administration, the ESCO for each school is responsible for promoting and maintaining a safe, healthful and environmentally responsible workplace. Summary of Roles and Responsibilities from Harvard University Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Policy

9. Principal Investigators (PIs) PIs have the responsibility for the implementation, management and enforcement of a safe and compliant environment within their lab. Harvard University EH&S Policy “The PI has primary responsibility for chemical hygiene and EH&S compliance in his or her laboratory.” Harvard University Chemical Hygiene Plan “Faculty members and others with supervisory responsibilities are expected to promote safe and environmentally responsible practices…Individuals with overall responsibility for teaching and research laboratories must take additional special steps to implement safety and environmental programs in their laboratories.” FAS Grey Book “The PI is the person principally responsible for EH&S compliance in the laboratory.” Harvard Longwood Campus EH&S Compliance Management Plan “Principal Investigators ultimately have the responsibility for safety in their laboratories” SEAS Lab Safety Program

10. Lab Safety Representative(Coordinator/Officer) Delegated by PI to: • Serve as liaison between safety committees/EH&S and lab • Communicate with lab members and PI • Get support from EH&S, ESCO and safety committees Attend safety meetings Assist in EH&S lab inspections Inspect hazardous chemical waste Satellite Accumulation Areas Communicate information to lab staff Assist in other tasks assigned by PI