Office of Research and Project Administration

The following is posted on behalf of Janet Ives, Biosafety Officer.
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March 27, 2007

To:             Grant Administrators and Principal Investigators

Subject:        Department of Defense Funding

Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) has just launched a new web page directed at obtaining a "Certificate of Environmental Compliance" for Department of Defense funding. The link to this important information is as follows: http://www.safety.rochester.edu/DODenvironcompliance.htm

Important information:
The Department of Defense, as part of its funding process, requires submission of a “Certificate of Environmental Compliance” signed by an institutional official. The Director of Environmental Health and Safety is the institutional official charged with providing this signature.

The Director of Environmental Health and Safety will issue a signed “Certificate” only 1) if the laboratory, including the Principal Investigator, is in compliance with applicable employee health, safety, and environmental laws and regulations; and 2) if adequate information (see below) is provided to demonstrate compliance with the applicable laws and regulations.

In order to obtain the EH&S Director’s signature the following information must be submitted to Janet Ives, Biosafety Officer, or Bob Passalugo, Chemical Safety Officer, a minimum of 5 working days prior to proposal submission date.

1. Principal Investigator Assurance form from offerer’s submission packet ( https://mrmc-www.army.mil/rodsohd.asp). By signing this document, the Principal Investigator is declaring that he/she shall adhere to the institutional policies, programs, and procedures.
   
2. Completed Principal Investigator Safety Plan. A template is posted is available in Word http://www.safety.rochester.edu/BlankDODsummary.doc and PDF format http://www.safety.rochester.edu/BlankDODsummary.pdf.
   

Once the Principal Investigator Safety Plan has been received by EH&S, an appointment will be made for a lab inspection and lab safety training records will be reviewed.

Progress with uploading MSDSs into the University’s electronic MSDS database will also be reviewed and considered prior to issuing the signed “Certificate”.

Thank you very much; and if you have questions about obtaining a signed DOD CEC, please feel free to contact me directly.

Janet M. Ives
Biosafety Officer, EH&S
University of Rochester
685 Mt. Hope Ave, RC Box 278878
Rochester, New York 14620
VOICE: (585) 275-3014
FAX: (585) 274-0001