D/6.4 Biosafety assurance (including dealings with genetically modified organisms)


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Contact Officer	Research Ethics Coordinator, Office of Research
Approval Date	04/04/2008
Approval Authority	University Academic Board
Date of Next Review	01/07/2011

6.4.1 Approval of applications
Related Documents
Modification History

6.4.1 Policy

Biosafety assurance at QUT relates to protecting the health and safety of people and the environment by identifying and minimising risks posed by University research, teaching or other associated activities. Fundamentally, these risks fall into two broad categories:

transmission of infectious disease to staff, students or the public as a result of QUT-related activities; and/or
the accidental / unauthorised release of infectious agents or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from their appropriate levels of containment.

There are two principal compliance regimes to which QUT must adhere in relation to these activities:

Australian Standards for workplace health and safety authorities - which specify work practices in laboratories that deal with infectious agents; and
the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) – which specifies and participates in a regulatory regime for dealings with GMOs.

Activities involving the use of GMOs and/or biosafety materials must be submitted for the appropriate level of University review, and the applicant must receive notification of approval before the project can be commenced.

QUT Institute Biosafety Committee reviews and monitors the conduct of activities involving the use of GMOs and/or biosafety materials, and ensures compliance with requirements such as those of the Handbook on the Regulation of Gene Technology in Australia and the QUT Code of Conduct for Research.

Guidelines to assist with applications relating to biosafety assurance are available on the Research Ethics website. The University’s policy on research ethics ( D/6.1 ) should also be consulted for general guidance on the conduct of projects.

Researchers who are unclear of their obligations should consult the Research Ethics website, their supervisor / research team and/or the Human Resources Department (Health and Safety Advisory Services).

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Modification History

Date	Sections	Source	Details
04.04.08	All	University Academic Board	Revised policy (endorsed by University Research and Innovation Committee 07.03.08); policy renumbered to D/6.4 (formerly D/6.5)

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