University Laboratory Safety Committee

Introduction

The University Laboratory Safety Committee (ULSC) harmonizes laboratory and research safety issues under a single umbrella, and can address not only the issues related to work with radioactive substances and microorganisms, but also chemicals, lasers and any other lab-specific hazards on a more uniform basis.

Mandate

Authority

The ULSC advises and reports to the Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation). The Chair of the Committee is appointed by the Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation). Secretariat Services are provided by Environmental Health & Safety.

Composition

Voting members

  • Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation) or designate
  • Co-Chairs (2) of Faculty Safety Committee, Medicine
  • Chair of Faculty Safety Committee, Science
  • Chair of Faculty Safety Committee, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
  • Chair of Faculty Safety Committee, Engineering

Non Voting Members

  • EHS Operations Manager
  • Manager, Hazardous Waste Management

Associate Members

  • Radiation Safety
  • Biological Safety
  • Safety in Animal Care (Director, Comparative Medicine and Animal Resources Centre)
  • EHS Radiation Safety Officer
  • EHS Biosafety Officers

Associate Members of the ULSC are academic or staff members with expertise in important areas of laboratory safety listed above. They are appointed for 3-year terms by the Chair of the committee. Their role is to provide advice and expertise to the ULSC as well as to the EHS Officers. Associate members are invited to attend ULSC meetings only on an as-needed basis but are expected to be present at the annual review of their respective area of laboratory safety. They shall be provided copies of all meeting announcements, agendas, minutes and EHS officer reports. 

Mandate

  • To develop, recommend, update, and maintain policies applicable to the health and safety of  work conducted in laboratories and workshops
  • To receive and review reports of activities from Departmental and Faculty Health and Safety Committees. Each Faculty Chair or co-chair is expected to provide an annual safety report to the ULSC
  • To receive and review reports related to laboratory health and safety services, activities, incidents, and interventions in laboratory areas and to develop corrective strategies where needed
  • To receive and review license applications and reports to and from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
  • To conduct an annual review of the Radiation Safety Program to be presented to the ULSC by the EHS Radiation Safety Officer
  • To oversee the system for review and approval of applications for work with biohazardous agents
  • To receive and review reports to and from the Public Health Agency of Canada
  • To conduct an annual review of the Biosafety Program that will be presented to the ULSC by the EHS Biosafety Officers
  • To establish strategies to ensure ongoing and adequate safety orientation and training of students and staff working in laboratories
  • To submit an annual report of its activities to the University Health and Safety Committee and to the Vice-Principal of Research and Innovation.

Members

  Name/Title Department
Chair Prof. Milan Maric Faculty of Engineering, Chemical Engineering

Faculty Representatives  

 

Dr. Alfredo Ribeiro-da-Silva

Faculty of Medicine

Pharmacology and Therapeutics
 

Dr. Dieter Reinhardt

Faculty of Medicine

Anatomy & Cell Biology
 

Dr. Grant Clark

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences 

Bioresource Engineering
 

Larry Lessard

Faculty of Engineering 

Mechanical Engineering
 

Dr. Ashok K. Kakkar

Faculty of Science

Chemistry

Associate Members

CMARC

TBD

Director

Comparative Medicine & Animal Resource Centre
Animal Ethics

Suzanne Smith

Director

OVP-RIR-Office of Research and Ethics and Compliance
Radiation Safety

Dr. Dominic Ryan

Professor

Physics
Biosafety

Dr. Martin Olivier

Professor

Medicine, MUHC-Glen
Alternate

Dr. Marcel Behr

Professor

Medicine, MGH

Safety Officers

 

Joseph Vincelli

EHS Operations Manager

Environmental Health & Safety
 

Christian Bouchard

Manager

Hazardous Waste Manager

Minutes, Agendas & Schedule

This page is restricted to the McGill Community.

To view the committee's agendas, minutes and schedule, please use your McGill email address and password to sign in using the 'Sign in'  link in the bottom right corner of this page.

A new link - Minutes, Agendas & Schedule will appear in the menu on the left side.

If you are having trouble accessing this page, please ehs [at] mcgill.ca (email Environmental Health & Safety) or phone (514) 398-4563.

 

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