Research Safety Policy
- Approver:
- Academic Coordinating Committee
- Policy Owner:
- Vice President, Research
- Policy Lead(s):
- Research Data & Policy Analyst
- Effective date:
- 2025-04-23
- Date of last approval:
- 2025-04-23
- Status:
- Approved
Policy Statement
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all research conducted at ÌÇÐÄvlog¾«Æ· Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (Conestoga) involving hazardous materials is undertaken in accordance with the relevant legislation and safety standards.
Scope
This policy covers all Conestoga employees and students who engage in research.
Definitions
ÌÇÐÄvlog¾«Æ· maintains a glossary of terms specific to the institution. The ones in use for this document are defined below.
- Conestoga Employee
- Any employee of Conestoga, whether employed full-time, part-time, or on a contract basis, and includes, but is not limited to, faculty, student researchers when compensated as employees, research staff, support staff and administrators.
- Partner
- Any third-party organization (including, but not limited to, a corporation, another academic institution, a research institution, a hospital or a government agency) that seeks to or does engage in a Research Project or grant activity with Conestoga.
- Research
- An undertaking intended to extend knowledge through a disciplined inquiry or systematic investigation.
- Research Project
- Any non-curriculum-based research activity that is conducted by a Conestoga employee and may or may not engage Conestoga students, external partner organizations, or external collaborators.
- Student
- A person currently enrolled in studies at ÌÇÐÄvlog¾«Æ·, whether in a full-time, part-time or continuing education capacity.
Policy
- General Requirements
- It is the responsibility of the Conestoga employee hosting any visitors to research centres and laboratories to ensure that visitors are informed of all potential hazards within the space. Additionally, the host must provide the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to the visitors.
- All research is subject to inspection by the Campus Safety staff of Conestoga. Research can be paused or terminated if the participants fail to comply with Occupational Health and Safety regulations or adhere to the policies, procedures, training, or guidelines for the specific hazard.
- Any dispute under this policy will be submitted to the Vice President, Research & Innovation and the Associate Vice President, Risk Management in writing. The Vice President may elect to form a committee to investigate the dispute and recommend a resolution. The decision of the Vice President is binding on all parties.
- Research Involving Biological and Radioactive Hazards:
- Any Conestoga employee or student contemplating research involving biological or radioactive hazards shall ensure that appropriate protection and training is administered, and relevant guidelines are followed before the commencement of the research.
- Any Conestoga employee or student contemplating research involving biohazards shall adhere to the standards outlined by the Canadian Biosafety Standard, 3rd Edition.
- Any Conestoga employee or Conestoga student contemplating research involving radioactive materials shall comply with all Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) acts and regulations, recommended procedures, and safety precautions governing the use of such materials.
- No research involving biological or radioactive hazards shall be conducted without comprehensive planning and the implementation of appropriate safety measures.
Relevant Legislation and Related Documents
Relevant legislation
Revision Log
‸¾²¹³Ù±ð | ‸¾±ð³Ù²¹¾±±ô²õ |
| ​2023-06-29 | ​Revisions to policy content to align with changes to blank policy. Approving Authority – Approved |
| ​2025-04-23 | ​Academic Coordinating Committee |