Deans

Deans are responsible for communicating the performance expectation to Department Chairs and Principal Investigators (PIs) that the practices and policies set forth in this manual are to be adhered to in all laboratories within their respective Colleges.  Deans are responsible for setting the overall tone regarding establishing and maintaining a culture of safety in all laboratory operations under their control.  Safety performance expectations must be clearly communicated to Department Chairs and PIs with the knowledge that disciplinary procedures will be pursued against those who fail to implement safety practices or willfully disregard safety practices and regulatory requirements.

Department and School Chairs

Department and School Chairs are responsible for ensuring that the practices and policies set forth in this manual are adhered to in all Georgia Tech laboratories under their control and for communicating to lab personnel the expectation that a culture of safety is to be maintained in all labs and within all lab groups. Safety performance expectations must be clearly communicated to laboratorians, such as periodic self-inspections and safety meetings, prompt corrective actions when safety deficiencies are identified, and implementing disciplinary procedures for those who fail to work safely or willfully disregard safety practices and regulatory requirements. 

Principal Investigators (PIs)

PIs have the primary responsibility for controlling hazards and maintaining compliance with applicable regulations and Georgia Tech policies in their laboratory(ies).  This shall include promoting a safety culture in the work place by ensuring that all faculty, staff, and students are instructed in laboratory hazards and how to avoid them, making safety discussions part of lab meetings, performing lab self-inspections, and ensuring that all lab users have received the required safety training as described in Chapter 8 of this manual.

Additionally, PIs are responsible for controlling visitor/outsider access to Controlled Unclassified Information and Classified Information in laboratories (see Chapters 11 and 15 for more information).

Laboratory Users

Students, staff and faculty shall be responsible for complying with oral and written safety rules, regulations, and procedures required for the assigned task. Students, staff and faculty lab users are responsible for bringing any safety issues to the attention of the PI for appropriate corrective action.

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS)

EHS is responsible for guiding and assisting the Institute community in meeting its public health, safety, environmental protection and compliance responsibilities.  EHS shall assist PIs and laboratory users in determining and following safe practices; coordinating safety activities; providing education in safety; investigating accidents and incidents in laboratories and chemical incidents campus wide; conducting lab inspections and verifying proper operation of lab safety equipment and systems.  While lab safety programs are most effective when lab groups self-monitor and enforce the rules, EHS is also responsible for monitoring and verifying compliance with state and federal safety regulations and Georgia Tech lab safety policies.  In cases of imminent danger to life and health of laboratorians and/or others nearby, EHS is authorized to take appropriate action including but not limited to stopping work, closing the laboratory, and evacuating laboratories or buildings.