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Research Compliance - Environmental Health and Safety

The Office of Environmental Health & Safety regulates the procurement, use, storage, and disposal of biohazards, recombinant DNA, radioisotopes, and Chemicals in research at the College of Medicine and University-wide.

Biohazards:

Regulated biological agents fall into two major categories: Hazardous Biological Materials and Recombinant DNA. The use of biohazards (infectious agents, transformed cell lines, primary human tumors, and regulated biological materials) and recombinant DNA (including transgenics) at the University of Florida is monitored by the Biological Safety Office within the Environmental Health & Safety Division. General biohazard use requires registration and review by this office. The same office regulates Recombinant DNA usage which is reviewed by the University Institutional Biosafety Committee.

When radioactive materials or radiation-producing devices are involved in research, the procurement, storage, utilization and safety have to be cleared by the Radiation Control & Radiological Services (RC&RS) Department within the Environmental Health & Safety Division. It is the responsibility of the PI to contact the RC&RS Department (392-7359; 392-1589 for Health Center faculty) and to obtain these approvals. There are separate application procedures for human and non-human research projects. The researcher must obtain approval from the Radiation Control Officer or Radiation Control Committee prior to making changes to an approved facility, increasing quantity/levels or changes in the use of isotopes, or transferring radioactive materials from one department or laboratory to another. If a project involves either of these, the PI must indicate this on the University of Florida Sponsored Projects Approval (DSR-1) Form.

Environmental Health & Safety Links:

• Biological Safety - information and registration forms
• Radiation Control
• Training Calendar
• General Safety
• Hazardous Materials
• Laboratory Safety - Chemical Hygiene Program, Controlled substances, & fume hood info
• Chemical Hazard Communication Program