Safety and Training Protocols

The language on this page is outdated, and may not reflect current information and language. The page will be changed when an updated policy is passed.

1. Purpose 

To ensure that visiting scientists and scholars engaged in research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst understand and comply with State and Federal regulations and University policies and guidelines which apply to the handling of, and potential exposure to, hazardous materials. 

2. Definitions and Links 

“Hazardous materials” are materials that can harm people, other living organisms, property, or the environment. “Hazards” include radioactive, flammable, explosive, toxic, corrosive, and biohazardous materials, and also oxidizers, asphyxiants, pathogens, allergens, pesticides and animals, that may have characteristics that render them hazardous in specific circumstances. 

3. Health and Safety Policy Links, Implementation, and Authority 

All visiting scientists and scholars must follow University safety policies, procedures and guidelines, as implemented by appropriate Departmental and EH&S personnel, and summarized in the Research Administration. Campus authority for safety and training protocol compliance for visiting scientists and scholars rests with the Chancellor. Non-compliance may result in denial of access to facilities and services.

4. Procedure 

For short-term visitors engaged in research on Campus for up to a month: 

1. The visitor’s host on campus must notify the host Department’s Head/Chairman of the visitor’s presence in the Department and provide the host Department Office the visitor’s emergency contact information. 
2. The visitor can work in facilities that may involve exposure to hazardous materials if trained and supervised at all times by knowledgeable University personnel. Procedures for long-term visitors (below) must be followed before the visitor may work unsupervised.
3. Prior approval by the Director of Animal Care is required before a visitor can be taken into an animal facility. 
4. Any visitor who requires extended access to a greenhouse or other facility where pesticides are used must first take the online Worker Protection Standard (WPS) training through EH&S.

For long-term visitors engaged in research on Campus for more than a month: 

1. The visitor’s host must notify the host Department’s Head/Chairman of the visitor’s presence in the department and provide the visitor’s emergency contact information to the host department Office Manager. The visitor’s name and contact information must be added to door sheets of all facilities with hazardous materials where the visitor will work.
2. The visitor must obtain a campus ID. To do this he/she completes a Non Employee Non Student Form (NENS) form, get the Department Head/Chairman’s signature, and hand carry it to OIT for processing. 
3. The visitor’s host must contact either the host Department’s Safety Coordinator or EH&S to arrange for the visitor to take the University’s mandatory Laboratory Safety Training. Training in specialized research areas that may involve exposure to hazardous materials must be arranged as needed. Specialized areas include: greenhouses or other facilities where pesticides are used (WPS training online via EH&S); use of radioisotopes, use of biohazardous materials including human blood, tissue and cell lines, (training provided by EH&S specialists); use of live vertebrate animals (training provided through the Office of Research Affairs). 
4. If the visitor needs access to an animal facility he/she must first complete the basic UMass IACUC Animal Users training. The PI must add the person to the IACUC protocol covering the animal research and arrange with the Director of Animal Care for access to the animal facility.

Source: Sen. Doc. No. 09-024