Compliance Policies & Procedures

College of Life Sciences Compliance Program

Overview

BYU’s College of Life Sciences provides a challenging curriculum in the areas of biology; cell biology and physiology; exercise science; microbiology and molecular biology; neuroscience; nutrition, dietetics and food science; plant and wildlife science; and public health. In addition, the college manages the Bean Life Science Museum; research greenhouses; and the Lytle Preserve, a natural study and ecological research preserve in southwester Utah. Due to the nature and scope of its mission and operations, the college has a wide compliance portfolio including regulations governing occupational safety and health; the handling of hazardous chemicals, biological materials, and radioactive isotopes; environmental protection; international import/export controls; and research on human and animal subjects. The college is committed to maintaining compliance with law and university policies by developing a culture of ethical conduct.

Responsibilities

Each stakeholder is responsible for understanding and ensuring compliance in their area by abiding by applicable laws, regulations, and policies. Failure to comply with relevant laws and standards can result in institutional embarrassment, fines, litigation, loss of federal funding, suspension of research activities, loss of donor support, loss of employment, imprisonment, and more.

Office of Integrity and Compliance

• Assessing institutional compliance risks and risk mitigation strategies
• Communicating compliance requirements
• Coordination of campus-wide compliance issues
• Providing assessment tools to evaluate compliance with specific areas of the law
• Identifying emerging laws and regulations
• Administering the university confidential compliance hotline

Risk Management & Safety

• Providing technical guidance on matters of laboratory safety
• Inspecting laboratories to assure compliance with safety and health guidelines and regulations, and to assist with remediation of safety issues
• Coordinating clean-up operations in the event of hazardous materials spill
• Overseeing the adoption and implementation of all university health and safety policies

College

• Communicating information on applicable compliance areas, policies and procedures
• Assisting college personnel with evaluating, preventing and controlling hazards
• Conducting inspections to promote compliance with existing policies
• Reporting accidents and potential safety problems to departmental, college, and university stakeholders
• Conducting safety training sessions upon request

Departments

• Designating a departmental safety coordinator
• Review safety and compliance audits and reports within their departments

Supervisors

• Implementing health and safety policies in their work area
• Assuring compliance with all applicable laws and policies
• Assuring all required training is completed
• Reporting accidents and noncompliance to the departmental and/or college safety coordinator

Employees and Students

• Following safety and health polices as outlined by the university, the college, the department, and their supervisor
• Completing required training
• Reporting accidents, unhealthy or unsafe conditions, and noncompliance to their supervisor, department safety coordinator, college safety coordinator and/or the university