Health and Safety Training

WHIMIS Pictograms

Safety training is an important component to the orientation of all personnel working in CBS.

General Training

Safety training is mandatory for all personnel involved in lab and/or other research in CBS. All new personnel are required to complete the following online courses available through the Environmental Health & Safety office: 

  • EHS Health and Safety Awareness
  • EHS Biosafety (Investigative staff/lab worker)
  • Laboratory Safety
  • WHMIS2015 
  • Sexual Violence Referral and Support Training

Sexual Violence Referral & Support Training levels for staff and modules for students are described on the Student Affairs webpage.

Personnel will not be granted access to their work area until the mandatory training has been completed.  Register for each module (using a University of Guelph Central Login/email) though the EHS registration site.   After completing each module, a copy of each completion certificate should be saved and forward electronically to the supervisor and department administrator.

The CBS Training Matrix outlines the mandatory training requirements, depending on your role within the college.

Departmental Health and Safety training can be found by clicking on one of the links below:

 

Registration for any additional training (i.e. Radiation Safety, First Aid/CPR, Supervisor Due Diligence) is also done through EHS. Courses are offered regularly throughout the year and may be offered online and/or in class. See EHS course descriptions.

Depending on the nature of your work, specific procedures for Human Testing and Animal Care are required and this information and training is offered through the Office of Research.

Job-Specific Training

Before using shared equipment such as autoclaves or centrifuges, students and staff must receive hands-on training from a qualified individual. Job-specific training is the responsibility of each lab or work group. This includes on-the-job demonstration of equipment, lab methods and experimental techniques. Some departments offer training on operation of certain pieces of equipment or certain protocols, eg. the online MCB Centrifuge Safety, Care and Operation training module.

Training Records

Training Records must be completed for all individuals working in laboratories (i.e. employees, students, visiting scientists, volunteers engaged in research, and teaching assistants). All training records are to be filed in the CBS Safety Binder and are to be made available to the Local Joint Health and Safety Committee during workplace inspections.

Field Research

Preparatory work to be done in advance of Field Research:

  • Before you head out to the field, Principal Investigators must complete the Field Research Safety Plan Form and have it approved by the department Chair.
  • Discuss the safety plan with the participants and incorporate their input as appropriate. Prior to the start date, all particpants must have received all the training or certifications appropriate for the work they will be conducting (i.e., firearm license, pleasure craft operator card, wilderness first aid, etc.).
  • Sexual Violence Information and Resources for Field Sites (Appendix A) must be posted at the field site.
  • The form CBS Field Research Safety Plan: Sexual Violence (Appendix B) must be signed by each team member, a completed copy filed in the Lab Safety Binder with the corresponding approved Field Research Safety Plan and a copy submitted to the departmental Administrative Assistant.
  • If you intend to use University vehicles, all drivers/operators must fill out the Driver Information Profile Form and forward to the Risk and Insurance Manager (5th Floor UC).
  • If the research involves diving in Ontario, Regulation 629/94 comes into effect and notice must be filed with the Ministry of Labour. Contact EHS for further details. If diving operations will be taking place outside Ontario, consult the requirements for that jurisdiction.
  • If the research involves international travel, completion of the DepartSmart pre-departure orientation online module is required. See the Centre for International Programs page for details and registration.

The degree of planning and preparation required for a field season is going to depend largely on the nature of the work being done. Ensure that adequate contingency plans are in place for foreseeable problems.

Field Courses

When at a field station away from Guelph or when working in the field unsupervised, each student is required to complete a Field Trip Safety Form including the Release and Indemnification Form in Appendix B. This is in addition to in-class or on-site safety directives.

When students only go out locally under supervision of an instructor, the instructor submits one form for the whole group, with participants and their contact information listed in Appendix A.

For additional information on Field Safety, see pages 33-39 of the CBS Safety Handbook, Field Trip Policy ; Field Work Policy.