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Biosafety Committee

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1.0 Approval

Upon recommendation by the Vice-President (Research), who has signing authority for the University with respect to Biosafety matters, these terms of reference for the Biosafety Committee were approved by the Administrative Committee, on April 12, 2006.

2.0 Reporting Structure

The Biosafety Committee reports to the University of Ottawa Board of Governors’ Committee on Health, Safety and the Environment through the University’s Administrative Committee, specifically through the Vice-President, Research.

3.0 Guiding Principles

The University of Ottawa’s Biosafety Program consists of three constituent elements:  (i) biosafety, namely the safety of individuals, (ii) biohazards, namely the management of risks associated with biohazardous material, and (iii) biosecurity, namely the management of risks associated with facilities and practices.    Sound management of the Program necessarily requires participation of different organizational units and the implementation of the Program is therefore a responsibility shared between those different organizational units.

4.0 Roles and Responsibilities

1. The Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety:

Under the oversight of the Biosafety Committee, the University of Ottawa’s Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety implements and administers the University’s Biosafety Program (the “Program”) in a safe manner and in compliance with federal, provincial and University regulations and guidelines pertaining to the acquisition, use, storage, handling, transfer  and disposal of biohazardous and potentially biohazardous materials (“Biohazardous Materials”).  The Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety also advises and coordinates with other organizational units on matters relating to the acquisition and/or purchase, use, storage, handling, transfer  and disposal of biohazardous and potentially biohazardous materials.  For the purposes of these terms of reference, the Program includes:

• management of Biohazardous Materials safety and security programs, including training programs;
• review and approval of applications, with appropriate conditions, relating to the use of Biohazardous Materials;
• issuance, amendment or suspension of Biohazardous Material Use Certificates, authorizing the use of Biohazardous Materials (“Certificates”);
• management of procedures and processes relating to the purchase or acquisition transportation, storage, handling, use, transfer and disposal of biohazardous and potentially biohazardous materials, including waste materials;
• biosafety inspections of laboratories and facilities;  recording and as required, the reporting of incidents to the Biosafety Committee and regulatory agencies; the management of the implementation of corrective or preventative measures as appropriate;
• advising on Biohazardous Materials decontamination;
• management of laboratory decommissioning;
• any other matter related to Program under the aegis of the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health.

2. The Biosafety Committtee:

The Biosafety Committee is established by the University to:

• Oversee the Program as managed by the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety, provide direction and recommend changes
• Develop and recommend to the Administrative Committee, Board of Governors’ Committee on Health, Safety and the Environment and the  Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety policies, procedures, standards, guidelines and programs to ensure compliance with federal  and provincial regulations and guidelines and to ensure the safe purchase or acquisition, use, storage, handling, transfer  and disposal of Biohazardous Materials;
• Authorize the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety to grant and/or renew Certificates with or without conditions to ensure compliance with federal, provincial and University regulations and guidelines and the Program;
• At the request of the Director, Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety, review laboratory protocols or Certificate requests of an unusual, particularly hazardous, or complex nature and make an appropriate recommendation;
• Authorize the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety to revoke, suspend, or amend Certificates upon the recommendation of the Manager, Radiation and Biosafety as necessary to ensure compliance to ensure compliance with federal, provincial and University regulations and guidelines and the Program.   Such an order must be complied with immediately and will stand while under dispute and pending reconsideration by the Committee;
• Re-consider Certificate orders issued by the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety that are under dispute.  Upon such reconsideration, the Committee may confirm, modify, set aside the Certificate order and may require whatever actions it deems necessary, including temporarily or permanently revoking the Certificate; imposing conditions that must be met prior to the recommencement of use; imposing new conditions on the use;
• Review reports from the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety concerning any incidents involving Biohazardous Materials and recommend preventative measures to the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety and to Board of Governors’ Committee on Health, Safety and the Environment through the Administrative Committee if deemed necessary;
• Review results of external and internal inspections.  Provide recommendations to the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety and to Board of Governors’ Committee on Health, Safety and the Environment through the Administrative Committee if deemed necessary to resolve gaps identified or identify any policy changes required;
• Review and, at its discretion, approve annual reports submitted by the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety to regulatory agencies;
• Advise the University through the Administrative Committee on any issue relating to the Biosafety Program including any need for additional resources to establish, maintain or improve the Biosafety Program;
• Create ad-hoc committees as it considers appropriate consisting of such members of the Biosafety Committee and or other members of the University’s community as it deems appropriate; and
• Seek advice and additional expertise as needed in order to fulfill its role.

5.0 Members

The Biosafety Committee is composed of the Chair, Dean/Director Members, Researcher Members, Resource Members and Additional Members (collectively referred to as “Members”) and as more particularly set out below:

1. Chair

• Vice-President (Research) or Associate Vice President (Research) as delegate

2. Dean/Director Members

• Vice-Dean Research or the Assistant-Dean Research & Special Projects , Faculty of Medicine, as delegate of Dean

• One member, acting as delegate of the Dean, selected on a rotating basis, from the Vice Dean, Faculty of Science, Vice Dean Research, Faculty of Health Sciences or Vice Dean Research & Development , Faculty of Engineering.

• Director, Animal Care and Veterinary Services

• Chair of the Management Committee of the University of Ottawa BSL 2-3 Safety laboratory

3. Research Members

• are researchers who hold Certificates and who are appointed by the Chair, upon nomination by the Dean of the Faculty concerned
• Two (2) from the Faculty of Medicine, one of whom can be drawn from the Research Institute of an affiliated hospital and one of whom must be a microbiologist;
• One (1) from the Faculty of Science
• One (1) from Faculty of Health Sciences

4. Resource Members (or delegates)

• Director, Research Grants and Ethics

• Director, Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety Service  

• Manager, Radiation & Biosafety, Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety Service

• Manager, Occupational Health, Disability and Leave

• Legal Counsel

• Medical Advisor, who may be the Director, Health Services or a physician nominated by the Faculty of Medicine

5. Additional Members

• are those individuals who are appointed as a Member at the discretion of the Vice-President (Research) and who may be external to the University.  There may be no more than two (2) Additional Members.

6. Ex-Officio Members

• are those individuals who are appointed as representatives of the hospital-based research institutes
• Director, University of Ottawa Heart Institute or delegate

• Director, Ottawa Health Research Institute or delegate

• Director, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute or delegate

• Director, Institute of Mental Health Research or delegate
• Director, Élisabeth Bruyère Research Institute or delegate

Researcher members, Additional Members, and members delegated by Deans or Directors shall be selected to ensure that, insofar as possible, the Biosafety Committee has the expertise required to meet its mandate and transact its business.

6.0 Membership Term

The term of membership of the Chair, the Dean/Director Members (except for the member selected from the Vice Dean of Sciences, Health Sciences or Engineering) and the Resource Members is for an indefinite term. The term of membership of the member selected from the Vice Dean of Sciences, Health Sciences or Engineering Members is for a term of up to two (2) years.  The term of membership of the Researcher Members and the Additional Members is for term of up to three (3) years, which may be renewed or extended once at the discretion of the Vice-President (Research).

7.0 Authority of Vice Dean Research or equivalent position

All members delegated by Deans or Directors act as representatives of their Dean and Faculty or Institute and must report to their Deans or Directors.  The Dean or Director must delegate the authority to the delegated member as required to enable the Committee to meet its mandate and transact its business.

8.0 Meetings

1. Frequency of Meetings

• The Members shall meet no fewer than three (3) times a year, the timing of which shall be at the call of the Chair.  Special meetings may be called at any time by the Chair at the Chair’s discretion or upon request by the Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety.  The manner and conduct of the meetings of the Biosafety Committee shall be determined by the Chair and may be held in person, by telephone conference or by email as appropriate in the circumstances.

2. Minutes and Secretarial Services

• The Office of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety Service shall arrange and organize the meetings of the Biosafety Committee.  It shall assign a person from that Office to act as the secretary for the Biosafety Committee and whose responsibilities shall include the following:

• provide written or e-mail notification of regular meetings three weeks prior to the meeting and providing a reminder, the meeting agenda and all written documentation at least five days prior to the meeting.  This requirement may be waived by the Committee on a simple majority vote.

• upon a request made by the Chair, send the notice of additional meetings to the members of the Biosafety Committee, the meeting agenda and the documents required for the meetings;

• record of the minutes of the meetings and sending the draft minutes to the members of the Biosafety Committee for their approval;

• Prepare the necessary documentation relating to any action item (letters, reports, etc) for the signature of the Chair;

• act as custodian of the documentation brought before the Biosafety Committee.

3. Voting

• Dean/Director Members, Researcher Members and Additional Members of the Committee shall have the right to vote.  In the event of a tie vote amongst the duly-appointed, voting, members, the Chair shall cast the deciding vote.  Resource Members and Ex Officio Members are non-voting members of the Committee.

4. Quorum

• Quorum shall be 50% plus 1, of the Members eligible to vote.

9.0 Amendments

• Any amendments to these terms of reference must be made in writing and approved by resolution of the Administrative Committee.

 

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Technical questions? Contact safety@uottawa.ca