Environmental Health & Safety
Safety, Awareness, Compliance...
Expanding the boundaries of knowledge and discovery in USD teaching and research laboratories may sometimes involve the use of radioactive materials, toxic chemicals, pathogenic micro-organisms, infectious agents, human tissue and bloodborne pathogens and other potential hazards USD's Environmental Health and Safety program ensures that research and education occur safely, in compliance with federal guidelines, acceptable standards, and USD policy.
USD's Director of Environmental Health & Safety implements the USD radiation, chemical and biological safety programs. The Director functions as USD's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO), and Biological Safety Officer, providing to the USD community:
- Information and resources
- Training and consultation
- Safety audits
- Compliance oversight
- Liaison activities between USD and regulatory agencies
Biological and Chemical Safety
USD requires compliance with NIH Guidelines for Research involving rDNA Materials; BMBL; Occupational Health & Safety (OSHA) standards; and with recommendations provided in USD's Biological and Chemical Safety Manual. USD's Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) formulates policy and procedures related to the use of biohazardous agents and materials.
Radiation Safety
USD has a license issued by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The license authorizes faculty, staff and students to use radioactive materials in research and teaching. This is a Type B license of broad scope which does not permit the use of radioactive materials in patients or human subjects.
Use of radioactive materials by faculty, staff, or students requires compliance with NRC and USD policies. Authorization and approval by the Radiation Safety Officer is required for faculty. All persons working with radioactive material must receive training appropriate to their use and must be approved by USD's radiation safety officer.
For information about USD's Environmental Health and Safety program, please contact Environmental Health and Safety at (605) 677-6265.
USD's Environmental Health and Safety Program ensures that research occurs in a safe environment, in compliance with federal and university regulations.