Biosafety Committee

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LIST OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

BIOSAFETY COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE

The University of Toronto Biosafety Committee is charged with ensuring that all activities within the University of Toronto involving infectious biological agents are conducted in a safe manner and in conformity with generally accepted standards. The term "infectious biological agents" excludes biological agents of a strictly chemical nature, but includes viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and other organisms/genetic systems that, by virtue of their replicative properties, are potentially harmful to humans and/or other living systems.

The University affirms that the primary responsibility for the safety of staff, students and the public lies with the principal investigator using or authorizing the use of such agents. In addition, the University (through the members of the Governing Council and senior administrators) acknowledges a responsibility to provide a policy and procedural framework designed to ensure that work is being conducted safely and in conformity with the relevant Acts and regulations.

The Governing Council has delegated to the President, and through him or her to the Vice- President, Administration & Human Resources, the responsibility for approval of regulations and actions with respect to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Environmental Protection Act. The Vice-President, Administration & Human Resources, has delegated to the University Biosafety Committee and its Chair, the following functions, powers and duties:

The Committee

To develop and promulgate safety standards for the conduct of research and teaching involving infectious biological agents by members of the University;
To specify training requirements and to promote the training of all personnel working with infectious biological agents;
To take all reasonable steps to ensure that research and teaching activities of members of the University involving infectious biological agents are performed in compliance with the requirements of the University and any relevant guidelines or legislation;
To advise the Vice-President, Administration & Human Resources on the needs of the University community for biosafety facilities, policies and programs;
To decide upon appeals resulting from the refusal to grant a licence or from the withdrawal of a licence by the Chair or his/her designate.

The Chair

To approve and licence, at the appropriate biocontainment level(s), all uses of infectious biological agents within the University;
To appoint local biosafety coordinators to assist in carrying out the mandate of the Chair and the Committee;
To investigate compliance with any applicable regulations, guidelines or safety standards whenever it is believed or complained on reasonable grounds that any breach thereof or other safety hazard may have occurred or be occurring, and for that purpose, to enter any laboratory or other premises on the grounds or under the jurisdiction of the University at any time, and to examine the equipment, operations, materials and systems therein;
To withdraw the licence related to any work that is considered to pose an undue biosafety risk and to require the immediate cessation of that work;
To delegate the approval and withdrawal of licences and the investigation of compliance to the Vice-Chair or another member of the Committee when necessary due to absence or illness;
To report promptly to the Vice-President, Administration and Human Resources, for transmittal to the Business Board, any instances under the jurisdiction of the Committee where:
- an order is issued by the relevant Ministry or any other regulatory authority and there is not full compliance within the specified time;
- employees refuse to work for reason of danger to their health or safety; or
- any other significant event occurs where the Business Board should be informed to enable it to perform, on behalf of the Governing Council, its responsibilities pursuant to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Environmental Protection Act or any other applicable legislation;
To represent the University externally on matters relating to biosafety;
To submit, on behalf of the Committee, by March 31 of each year, an annual report to the Vice-President, Administration & Human Resources on the activities of the Chair and the Committee, for transmittal to the Business Board.

Dated: October 1995

BIOSAFETY COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

Chair

The Chair is appointed by the Vice-President, Administration & Human Resources for a 3 year (renewable) term. The Chair shall be a senior academic with extensive experience in working with biohazardous agents. The Chair shall be an ex officio member of the Senior Management Committee on Health and Safety.

Vice-Chair

The Vice-Chair is appointed by the Vice-President, Administration and Human Resources on the recommendation of the Chair for a 3 year (renewable) term. The Vice-Chair shall act in the absence of the Chair.

Members

Members are appointed by the Vice-President, Administration & Human Resources on the recommendation of the Chair for a 2 year (renewable) term. They are selected from the academic community of the University on the basis of their physical location and experience in working with biohazardous agents. Their function is to assist the Chair in all matters relating to biosafety within the University. Individual members may also be appointed as Local Biosafety Coordinators, with authority over specific geographical regions of the University. Responsibilities of the Local Biosafety Coordinators include ascertaining that all teaching and research programmes within their jurisdiction meet the required biosafety standards of the University.

The Committee shall also contain at least one member whose work is completely unaffected by considerations of biosafety.

Ex Officio Members

Ex officio members include University staff and administrators whose responsibilities include the implementation and maintenance of biosafety standards and regulations. They are full voting members of the Committee. Ex officio members include:

Director, Environmental Health and Safety
University Biosafety Officer
Vice-President, Research & International Relations
Director, Research Grants
Vice-Dean, Research, Faculty of Medicine

Associate Members

The principal function of Associate Members is to provide a source of expertise that can be called upon when appropriate and under specific circumstances. They may be appointed from within or outside of the University community, and are selected by the Chair on the basis of their special expertise in matters relevant to biosafety. They may attend, and participate in, but not vote at committee meetings.

Adjunct Members

Adjunct Members are intended to permit liaison in biosafety matters between University-affiliated hospitals and research institutes. They include Chairs, or their representatives, of the local hospital/research institute biosafety committees. Adjunct members are non-voting.

The responsibilities of Adjunct Members include ensuring that, within their jurisdiction, all research and teaching carried out by University appointees meets the required biosafety standards of the University.

Meetings

The Committee shall meet at least twice per year. The Committee shall keep minutes of meetings with a copy to be sent to the Senior Management Committee on Health and Safety.

Quorum

A quorum shall be a majority of the voting members.