Faculty and Graduate Student Welcome Guide

This guide is intended to provide new Faculty and Graduate Student and Post-Doctoral Researchers with information about the Chemical Control Centre (CCC). It also provides researchers with an overview of the safety policies, programs and procedures administered by the CCC. This guide will assist new research personnel in understanding the role the CCC plays in supporting them and fulfilling regulatory responsibilities, obligations, training requirements and safety procedures.

The guide does not provide an extensive review of all the safety programs, policies, and services; however, it does present the researcher with a general overview of those available.  

Chemical Control Centre (CCC)

The mission of the CCC is to promote the safe use of hazardous materials by the University community through controlled acquisition, distribution, and disposal and training services. The CCC is responsible for ordering, purchasing, receiving, storing, distributing, and disposing all hazardous materials on campus, and for providing training and support to the faculty and staff pertaining to the handling of hazardous materials and waste disposal.

The contact information for the Chemical Control Centre is listed below.

Customer Services

All chemicals, biological, radioactive and hazardous materials must be ordered through the Chemical Control Centre ensuring regulatory compliance, inventory management and safe practices. All items and associated Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are entered into our management system. Researchers and staff can access inventories through our online HMIS system. The CCC has a solvent refilling station and stocks a variety of general laboratory supplies and chemicals for researchers.

The CCC is a non-profit centre, all professors ordering materials are required to fill out an Account Authorization Form and submit it to the CCC. Once the account is created, the Principal Investigator (PI) gives his personnel (students, postdocs and staff) authorization to purchase chemicals and reagents by signing and submitting to the CCC Laboratory Safety Orientation Checklist. The Checklist must be completed by laboratory personnel prior to performing any work in the laboratory.  Laboratory personnel should complete the Laboratory Safety Orientation Checklist detailing safe work practices explained to them and all safety trainings taken for their laboratory assignment as indicated by the supervisor.

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Hazardous Material Information System

The Chemical Control Centre manages the University of Windsor's Hazardous Materials Information System (HMIS). This online computer system provides research and academic departments with the ability to view and edit quantities of inventory of hazardous materials, view Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and current location of all hazardous items on campus.  In addition, researchers can search the campus for a compound of interest by name or CAS number.

Access to HMIS is restricted. For access request email the CCC manager ccc@uwindsor.ca

Manuals and Training Aids

To ensure that an environmentally responsible, safe and healthy work, research and study environment exists at the University of Windsor the CCC is identifying risks and emerging issues by developing and implementing practical programs to manage them. Programs include the development and delivery of trainings, preparation of training aids, manuals and provision of expert advice in the areas of laboratory safety and waste management.

You can find all the manuals online.

• University of Windsor’s Laboratory Safety Manual
• University of Windsor’s Radiation Safety Manual
• University of Windsor's Biological Safety Manual
• Hazardous Waste Disposal Guide
• Hydrogen Fluoride Utilization Guidelines
• Fume Hood Manual

Training Aids

Laboratory Safety Bulletins (LSB)

Laboratory Safety Bulletins (LSB) are publications prepared by the Chemical Control Centre to communicate and raise awareness about various issues related to environmental health and safety issues; especially, related to research, teaching, and scholarly activities.

Chemical Safety:

• Obtaining the Safety Data Sheets
• Peroxide in the Laboratory
• Fighting a Class D Fire
• Use of Workplace Labels at University of Windsor
• Hydrogen Fluoride Training Program
• General Glassware Safety Tips
• Information on Glove Boxes
• Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety
• Handling and Transportation of Cryogenic Liquids - recommended
• Safe Disposal of Empty Chemical Containers
• Safe handling and Disposal of Sharps

Designated Substances: Mercury,  benzene, silica, lead, acrylonitrile, arsenic, ethylene oxide, isocyanides, vinyl chloride, and asbestos.

Environmental Protection:

• Safe Disposal of Batteries on Campus

Radiation: Radioisotope Awareness Training, Contamination Monitoring

For more information or to request any of these publications contact the CCC ext.3514.

 Posters

List of posters:

• Hazardous Waste Disposal Poster
• Waste Segregation Poster
• Biological Waste Disposal Poster
• Spill Response Guide Poster
• Chemical Waste Handling Poster
• WHMIS Labels

For more information or to request any of these publications contact the CCC ext.3519.

Training

The CCC offers a variety of safety training for employees and students see table below (Table1). Most of them are in the format of a slide presentation and are available online.   All Employees working with or around Chemicals are required to take Work Place Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS) Training Annually.

Training is required for all employees and students working with Radiation, Biohazards, Lasers, X-Rays, Hydrogen Fluoride, Cyanides and Compressed Gas Cylinders.  Training directly related to these research activities is mandatory for all who handle them including, Principal Investigators, projects staff and students.  The advanced laboratory training:  Laboratory Safety Training for Researchers is highly recommended.   

You should know that the faculty member as your supervisor holds responsibilities which include:

• Ensuring that all laboratory staff (students conducting research, research assistants and post-docs) have completed the WHMIS training (www.uwindsor.ca/requiredtraing).
• Ensuring that an appropriate safety orientation has been given and documented to all students when they are first assigned to a laboratory space or prior to starting their first experiment. This training should include:

• General safety orientation, waste disposal procedures, emergency procedures in the event of an accident or spill and basic first aid instructions.
• Training on special or unusual hazards in the laboratory
• Training in the use of laboratory specific emergency equipment and emergency response.

• Ensure that all supervised students have completed a mandatory training related to their research activities developed by the individual laboratory and those required by the University.

For consultation/support email: ccc@uwindsor.ca or call: 519.253.3000. ext.3524

 

Acquisition and Disposal

Regulated Materials

Researchers should be aware that many materials used in research today are regulated by various legislation and agencies including but not limited to the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ministry of the Environment, The Government of Canada, The Province of Ontario, The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Foreign Affairs Canada and the University of Windsor.

Researchers, who are planning to work with, import or transfer any materials in the categories listed below must contact the Chemical Control Centre to ensure the materials have the proper regulatory documentation and approvals.  If you are unsure if your materials are regulated, contact the CCC for more information.

1. Animals used for research
2. Biohazardous Materials
3. Chemical Weapons & precursor Chemicals
4. Controlled Goods
5. Controlled Substances
6. Cyanides
7. Insects not native to Canada or imported
8. Lasers (Class 3B, 4)
9. Plants not native to Canada or imported
10. Radioactive Materials
11. Toxic Substances
12. Designated Substances
13. Veterinary Controlled Products
14. X-Ray Equipment

Chemical Waste Disposal

University of Windsor CCC manages chemical waste in a safe and environmentally sound manner that complies with all applicable federal, province and local regulations. There is no charge to university laboratories for chemical waste disposal. Make certain laboratory staff knows how to collect, label and transport to the CCC the chemical wastes generated in your laboratory. Contact the CCC if needed.

For all specific guidelines regarding chemical waste, biological and radiation wastes consult the Hazardous Materials Disposal Guide or the CCC. The guide can be found at https://www.uwindsor.ca/chemical-control-centre/324/chemical-waste-collection-disposal-procedure.

Committees

There are several administrative committees at the University of Windsor to fulfil and facilitate legislative and regulatory requirements related to the research and safety on campus. All research proposals, whether new or renewals, involving human or animal subjects and biohazards or radioactive materials must be approved by a proper committee.

Research Safety Committee (RSC)

The Research Safety Committee consists of three subcommittees:

• Biohazard Safety Committee,
• Radiation Safety Committee,
• Laboratory Safety Committee. 

The Committee is advisory to the Vice President of Research and in collaboration with the Chemical Control Centre has the responsibility of, and authority for, establishing and enforcing the University's Research Safety Programs. These programs encompass the procedures for ordering, usage, handling, monitoring, storage, training and disposal of radioactive, biological and chemical materials. The Committee works in conjunction with the Chemical Control Centre to formulate and enforce such policies as are necessary to ensure that the University follows guidelines and regulations outlined by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), Heath Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), The Ministry of Environment, and all applicable Federal, Provincial and Municipal legislation.  It is the goal of the University of Windsor’s Research Safety Committee to develop policies and procedures that ensure safe research and teaching practices involving radioactive, biological and chemical materials are followed across campus, to protect faculty, staff, students and the environment from potential exposures and accidents.  These goals are managed through personnel qualification training, control of occupational and public exposures and by planning for unusual situations.

Animal Care Committee (ACC)

All animal research, whether laboratory or field-based, must be reviewed and approved by the University of Windsor Animal Care Committee (ACC). The ACC is responsible for overseeing all aspects of animal care and use, and for working with animal users, animal care personnel and the institutional administration.   All ACC policies and procedures are designed to comply with those of the Canadian Council on Animal Care. All personnel who will be involved in the use of animals in research (as indicated on the AUPP form) must demonstrate an understanding of the principles and theory required for animal-based studies by taking the online training course. For more information about the course and the ACC visit the ACC website: www.uwindsor.ca/acc

Research Ethics Board (REB)

There is a broad range of research activities and disciplines that must undergo the research ethics review process .The Research Ethics Board at the University of Windsor undertakes ethics review of all research involving human subjects, including funded and unfunded faculty research, graduate research, administrative research, and research conducted on the University of Windsor community (students, faculty, staff) by researchers not affiliated with the University of Windsor. The REB review and identifies problems within the application of the research and contacts researchers to introduce changes to the application.

For more information about the REB visit www.uwindsor.ca/reb

Central Safety Committee (CSC)

The Central Safety Committee is an advisory group to the Chief Human Resource Officer which is a legislative requirement of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The members of the CSC meet regularly to provide a consultative forum for the review of the status of health and safety in the University and for the evaluation of the internal responsibility system on campus.  They advise on development of new health and safety programs and policies and review the progress of existing programs.

For more information about the CSC visit the website: https://www.uwindsor.ca/humanresources/safety/committees 

Emergencies

• Report an emergency: police/fire/ambulance/chemical spill by DIALING EXTENSION 911 from any university phone.
• Know what to do in the event of a fire or building evacuation, spill of hazardous material and injuries.  Fire plans and emergency response procedures can be found at http://www.uwindsor.ca/safety/emergencyresponse
• Be familiar with written Standard Operating Procedures to handle emergencies such as spills in your laboratory.
• First Aid Kits - location can be found on web of the Health & Safety at: www.uwindsor.ca/safety

Other emergency phone numbers:

Emergency ext. 911

Poison Control 800-268-9017

Chemical Control Centre ext. 3523

General Laboratory Safety Information

Laboratory Safety

• The PI should inform you of the physical, chemical and biological hazards specific to the research. The PI should assess the need for personal protective equipment and review with you.

• Ensure that you always wear laboratory coats and eye protection while in the laboratory where chemicals are being handled. Laboratory coats and safety gloves should not be worn outside of the laboratory. Shorts and sandals should not be worn in the laboratory.
• Familiarize yourself with the University of Windsor Laboratory Safety Manual.
• Ensure that you have completed the Laboratory Safety Orientation Checklist and the signed by PI and you copy has been submitted to the CCC to get you the authorization to acquire chemicals and other scientific materials from the CCC.
• You will be required to develop Standard Operating Procedures for some hazardous activities and procedures in your laboratory and update these procedures as needed.
• Ensure that you know how to obtain an SDS for hazardous chemicals. The CCC manages the electronic collection of SDS available at www.uwindsor.ca/msds. The paper copies of SDSs are required for labs not having access to the computer.
• You need to be familiar with the storage guidelines for your laboratory.
• Ensure that you know the location and how to use adequate emergency equipment, such as eye wash stations and showers.
• Ensure that you know that an incident investigation report should be completed and sent to Health & Safety for every incident or injury that occurs in the laboratory. Reports can be found at Report an Accident | Health & Safety - University of Windsor
• Ensure that any deficiencies in safety and housekeeping are reported to the PI immediately. especially, problems related to the laboratory safety equipment.
• Ensure that that you know who an appropriate alternate supervisor is when the laboratory supervisor is absent. In a research lab, an alternate must be appointed when the supervisor is away from campus.

Laboratory Equipment 

Fume Hoods

Check that your fume hood in the laboratory is working properly (e.g. the hood alarm if present is working, the sash operates). If the hood(s) is not working properly, ask the PI to contact the Facilities Services ext. 2850.  The Chemical Control Centre annually tests fume hoods and places a pass or fail inspection sticker on each hood.  For a fume hood to pass inspection it must have a face velocity between 80-120 fpm.

 

Biological Safety Cabinets (BSC)

Biological safety cabinets are required when working with potentially infectious materials. BSC must be certified prior to use then annually or if is moved.  The BSC certification is arranged through the Chemical Control Centre.  For more information contact the CCC at 3524 for assistance.  The University does not support the use of laminar flow clean benches.

 

Eyewash Station and Safety Shower

Identify the location of emergency eyewash and showers in the laboratory. Always keep eyewash stations and safety showers free from obstruction. I may be assigned by the PI to test your eyewash and safety shower weekly.

Biosafety

• The possession, and use of biological materials classified under risk group 1 to 3 must  be registered with the University and with Health Canada prior to working and bringing these agents to the University of Windsor’s campus. The PI must obtain a Permit, contact the Biological Safety Officer for assistance ext.3524. If you are going to work with biological materials your name must be on the PI’S permit.
• Familiarize yourself with University of Windsor Biosafety Manual and review the manual with your laboratory staff.
• Biological Safety Online Training is mandatory for all those working with biological agents. For those working with level 2 biohazards, the training is required annually.

For detailed information visit the Biosafety website at: http://www.uwindsor.ca/biosafety.

Radiation Safety

• Principal Investigators must apply for a Permit to use radioactive materials; contact Radiation Safety Officer at ext.3524. Familiarize yourself with the Radiation Safety Manual and review it with your PI.
• Radiation Safety Training must be taken for any user of radioactive materials or radiation-producing equipment and dosimeter must be worn during work with radioactive materials.
• To apply for a badge (dosimeter) contact the CCC. The application form is also available at the radiation safety website at www.uwindsor.ca/radiation
• If you plan to use irradiators or X-ray machines, you must hold a valid permit and the protocol must be approved by the Radiation Safety Officer.

 

For detailed information on radiation program visit the Radiation Safety website at: http://www.uwindsor.ca/radiation

Laser Safety

All persons who work with lasers must receive laser safety training. Contact the CCC for more information ext.3524.

For more information on the University of Windsor’s Laser or X-Ray Safety Programs, visit their respective websites: www.uwindsor.ca/x-ray and www.uwindsor.ca/laser .