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Research Insights

Research Safety and Environmental Safety Offices Reorganize

The offices overseeing research safety and environmental safety at UGA have reorganized to better assure compliance with UGA, local, state, and national research and environmental safety regulations.

The offices overseeing research safety and environmental safety at UGA have reorganized to better assure compliance with UGA, local, state, and national research and environmental safety regulations. These offices provide guidance to UGA faculty, staff and students with the goal of protecting safety, health and the environment and, wherever possible, reducing regulatory burden.

Chemical & Laboratory Safety, Radiation Safety and Special Hazards Safety now comprise the new Office of Research Safety (ORS), a unit of the Office of Research Integrity and Safety (ORIS). The three units, previously part of the Environmental Safety Division (ESD), report to Zeke Barrera, director of the ORS. They have temporarily relocated to the building known as the Electronics Shop, located behind Hardman Hall, on South Campus. Office of Research Safety reports to Chris King, associate vice president for research compliance/OVPR.

A new Research Safety website https://research.uga.edu/safety provides clear organization of information for researchers, staff and faculty looking for policies, guidelines, forms and tools related to chemical and laboratory safety, radiation safety and special hazards.

Environmental Compliance, Environmental Health & Food Safety, and Industrial Hygiene continue to report to John McCollum, associate vice president of Environmental Safety Division, Finance & Administration. The three environmental safety offices are located in the ESD building on Riverbend Road. All forms, policies and procedures related to those offices remain on the ESD website https://esd.uga.edu/

The reorganization will enable UGA to better assist researchers and students through cross-training of staff within the research safety and the environmental safety offices, and through better communication with researchers about compliance requirements. Office of Research Safety and Environmental Safety Division will continue to work closely together.

A new Research Integrity & Safety Support Services https://research.uga.edu/compliance-training/ includes mandatory training and additional training opportunities for UGA researchers, staff and students who work with laboratory chemicals, radioactive materials and lasers. It also includes training for those using respirators; personal protective equipment (PPE), fire extinguisher and fire safety training, and hazardous material shipping information and resources.