The BME Safety Committee is a direct resource for the Institute community with regards to health and safety in the workplace. The committee serves two primary mandates:

1. Address safety concerns and policies specific to the needs of BME
2. Oversees annual workplace inspections, maintenance of safe work environments and forwards recommendations to BME leadership

Co-Chairs:

Teaching Laboratory Coordinator
+1 416 978-1467 (office) | safety.ibbme@utoronto.ca (email) | MB 325

Paul Yoo, Assistant Professor
+1 416 978-7326 (office) | safety.ibbme@utoronto.ca (email) | RS 420

Representatives:

Elena Bajenova—Radisic Lab
+1 416 946-5322 (office) | MB 301

Noah Frank—TBEP
+1 416 946-3115 (office) | MaRS West Tower, 661 University Ave, 14th Floor

Liangcheng (Henry) Lu—You Lab
+1 416 946-0943 (office) | MB 308

Zhen-Mei Liu—Davies Lab
+1 416 978-8683 (office) | MB 313 / 314

Bryan Quan—Sone Lab
+1 416 946-0943 (office) | MB 308A

First-Aid Personnel:

Teaching Laboratory Coordinator
+1 416 978-1467 (office) | safety.ibbme@utoronto.ca (email) | MB 325

The BME Health and Safety Policy, adapted from overarching U of T policies, requires that appropriate attire be worn in the laboratory environment when warranted, regardless of the season or weather.

The laboratory environment refers to workplaces where scientific experiments are conducted or any mechanical tools are used, regardless of their level of containment or type of materials and experiments. All individuals within these spaces must follow Ontario Ministry of Labour rules.

Mandatory dress code

1. Long pants
2. Closed-toe shoes with socks
3. Tied back hair

Mandatory laboratory environment policy

1. No food
2. No drinks, including bottled water
3. No chewing gum

Mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE)

1. Lab coat (length must cover knees)
2. Safety glasses or goggles
3. Lab gloves

Open Concept Lab and Office Spaces

Office space combined with a laboratory, mechanical and/or prototyping space not separated by a wall or door is considered an open-concept workplace environment and the office shall be regarded as a laboratory.

Other Requirements

Requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE) will be activity-dependent. However, it is highly recommended that PPE be worn in an open-lab or open-work environment if there is potential for splash, dust, reactive particles, chemical or biological contamination of any containment level.

Lab gloves are NOT to be worn in public areas. This includes main lab doors, common areas, hallway doors, etc. Gloves protect the user but will transfer contaminants to public surfaces.

Fines & Offenses

The Ontario Ministry of Labour inspectors will fine both the offender and management if these policies are not followed. It is the responsibility of the principal investigator (or lab manager designate) to ensure that all policies are followed.

• BME Safety Policy Manual—May 2015

BME implements and maintains its own safety policy. For information on other safety policies in off-campus labs, please contact the individual health and safety offices or consult your supervisor.

1. Every individual (student, faculty member, researcher, administrative or other support staff, volunteer, etc) shall participate in required safety training at the onset of their tenure with the BME (learning period as determined by the contract or direct supervisor). Every individual will proactively maintain up-to-date training as required. Authorization to enter specific workspaces (i.e., issuance of key cards or door keys) shall not be permitted until required training has been successfully completed.
2. Every individual shall be aware of work-related safety hazards (ergonomic, biological, chemical, electrical, physical, psychosocial, etc) and their individual responsibilities, including documenting and reporting incidents.
3. Access to Health & Safety-related information shall not be denied unless an individual’s privacy is of concern and must be protected (e.g., mental issues, treatment history, recovery process, etc.), particularly when this information is related to the person and not to the workplace.
4. Implementation and enforcement of the BME Health & Safety Policies is the direct responsibility of the BME management and supervisors of individual units of the organization.
5. The Health & Safety Policies shall be reviewed annually by the Health & Safety Committee. Recommendations resulting from the annual review shall be submitted to the BME administration for consideration and implementation.