Biosafety

The University of Cincinnati Biosafety Office is responsible for performing risk assessments to identify hazards and to guide researchers in implementing safety practices and procedures to minimize or eliminate risks associated with research involving biohazardous or potentially biohazardous materials.

 
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Lab Accidents

Immediate Response

When working in a laboratory where biological hazardous materials are used, regardless of the safety precautions that are adopted, accidents still happen and it is very important to be prepared.

Follow these procedures for different types of accidents:

Download our printable Lab Accidents poster

Medical Assistance and Evaluation

For medical evaluation upon a personal injury and/or exposure, contact:
  • Employees - UC Health Employee Wellness INJURY HOTLINE 513-585-8000
  • Students  - University Health Services (UHS) 513-556-2564

If you have been exposed to a biological toxin, contact the Drug and Poison Information Center (DPIC) immediately at 513-636-5111 (24 hours).

If this is a life-threatening accident or happens after hours, call 513-556-1111 or 513-558-1111.

Reporting

Any incident (e.g. inoculation, ingestion, skin and mucosa contact, inhalation, spills) involving biohazardous and/or recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid materials must be reported per institutional and federal requirements.

  • Notify your supervisor of the incident within 24 hours.
  • Investigators must promptly notify the Biosafety Office of the incident.
  • Per Advisory 12.2, incidents involving personal injury/illness must also be reported to UC Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) using the Initial Report for Work-Related Injury/Illness Form.
If the incident involves recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid materials, the Biosafety Office needs to notify the NIH. The Biosafety Office will work with the PI to collectively fill in the Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acids Report Form to be sent to the NIH. Reporting incidents involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules is mandatory, regardless of the source of research funding.
Work-Related Injury & Illnesses Video

Near Misses

Accidents that do not result in an exposure or witnessed activities with potential for injury or exposure are strongly encouraged to be reported to the Biosafety Office. Evaluation of near misses are extremely important to establish alternative work practices and implementation of engineering controls to minimize future incidents.
 

Contact

Mailing Address

Biosafety Office (ML 0767)
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH 45221

Street Address

51 Goodman Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45221

View on map

General Inquiries

Phone: 513-558-6182

E-mail: inbiocom@ucmail.uc.edu