Dean's Faculty Update
Be smart – function as a safe and legal researcher!
Date: August 20th, 2007
From: Mark R. McLellan, Dean
To All IFAS Researchers:
I hope that many of you are aware of the unfolding story happening at a sister land-grant university, for from their struggles are many lessons we should all learn. (See the end of this email for a list of UF/IFAS researcher critical web sites).
Early in July the CDC revoked the privileges of that University to work on Select Agents (biological contaminants of serious US security concern). It appears that some faculty labs associated with agricultural research did not follow the rules regarding research with these agents.
A formal government review process will assess the actions that lead to this situation and consequences. However, we would all do well to learn from this and raise our own levels of sensitivity and awareness to the issues of conducting research in a safe and legal manner.
Every day IFAS researchers are engaged in projects that require us to keep human, animal and environmental safety as a top priority – even more important than achieving the planned goals of the project itself. We are guided by rules and laws regarding: select agents, pesticides, worker protection & safety, EPA & USDA GMO guidelines, fair labor standards, human subjects, Federal Costs Accounting Stds, IFAS Unregulated Animal Research, IACUC, as well as others.
Faculty are responsible to act in a safe and legal manner and it is very good to periodically remind ourselves of our responsibilities for the personal consequences can be severe.
The actions of the CDC in the case of our sister land-grant institution are severe. This will have far reaching aftershocks to the entire institution and will impact their work for a long time to come.
I request that all IFAS researchers conduct a lab or field meeting with your direct reporting staff and students. Please review safety and legal issues relating to research in your lab/field. Please review federal, state and UF rules, regulations and guidelines regarding your specific research activities. Use this as a teaching moment. Ignorance of the law and regulations, is not an acceptable excuse and there is no university indemnification when you cross that line.
Be smart – function as a safe and legal researcher! Protect yourself and protect your staff – know the laws and rules that guide you. The list of sites below will provide resources for your direction.
- National Registry & requirements for select agents: http://www.selectagents.gov/
- All Select Agents List: http://www.cdc.gov/od/sap/docs/salist.pdf
- Agricultural Select Agents List: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/programs
/ag_selectagent/index.html - CDC Laws & Regs for agents: http://www.cdc.gov/od/sap/regulations.htm
- Cost Accounting Standards UF policy site: http://fa.ufl.edu/cg/capolicy/
- UF Researchers’ Handbook: http://rgp.ufl.edu/research/handbook
/researcher_handbook/ - Worker Protection Safety Standards: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PI151
- UF Environmental Health and Safety:
http://www.ehs.ufl.edu/ - IFAS General Pesticide Rules:
http://pested.ifas.ufl.edu/pdfs/PesticideHandbook.pdf - Pesticide use in research Policy: http://research.ifas.ufl.edu/files/PesticideUseInResearchPolicy.pdf
Mark R. McLellan
Dean for Research, IFAS
Director, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station
