Safety and Quality Services

The program was established in 2020 to take care of all the stray and feral animals on all AUC campuses.

The program also stands as the main point of contact for AUC community members regarding any questions or concerns relating to animal health and safety. The program is responsible for the following:

• Cat catching
• Vaccination
• Feeding
• Adoption

For further information, contact:

Hossam Anwer
Program Coordinator
[email protected]
t: +2.02.2615.4174/+2.012.8113.2225

Biosafety is a two-way path. Biosafety implies creating a safe working environment for all personnel, ensuring that the work done does not impact the environment.

Biohazardous materials include any organism that can cause disease in humans, or cause significant environmental or agricultural impact, such as:

Bacteria
Viruses
Parasites
Prions and prion-like proteins
Fungi
Human or primate tissues, fluids, cells, or cell cultures/lines that are known to  or are likely to contain infectious organisms
Human or animal tissues, fluids, cells, or cell cultures/lines that have been exposed to infectious organisms
Animals known to be reservoirs of zoonotic diseases

The biosafety program oversees the use of recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid molecules. This includes:

Recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid molecules 
Transgenic animals
Transgenic plants

At AUC, we prioritize creating a safe and nurturing environment that fosters learning, personal growth, and community engagement. This brief serves as an overview of our commitment to safety and the quality management protocols in place to ensure a safe campus for all.

You can also call the Office of Safety and Quality Management at t: +2.02.2621.54170/4180.

Hazardous materials, such as chemicals or compressed gases, pose a wide range of health and physical hazards. Health hazards range from mild irritation to carcinogenicity. Physical hazards, such as flammability and reactivity, can also have serious consequences. 

This section provides information on best practices for the use and storage of chemicals in laboratories. The World Health Organization (WHO), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regulations require all laboratories using hazardous chemicals to take specific safety measures to ensure safe lab operations.

This topic provides guidance to Principal Investigators (PIs), laboratory supervisors, and lab personnel on compliance with the institutional Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP).

Responsibilities

It is the joint responsibility of the PI or laboratory supervisor and the laboratory personnel to implement the CHP.

Review this topic, as well as the lab safety topic, to establish the following key elements of the institutional CHP:

• Safety training
• General lab practices
• Standard operating procedures
• Required work approvals
• Laboratory inspections
• Emergency procedures

Creating a Laboratory-Specific Chemical Safety Plan

To aid in compiling your lab’s safety information, you have the option to create a laboratory-specific chemical safety plan. To do so, you must:

1. Add on lab-specific safety documents, which can be created using the Toolkit, such as standard operating procedures, required work approvals, safety training records, and laboratory inspection records

The Office of Safety and Quality Management is available to assist with the preparation and/or review of your laboratory-specific chemical safety plan.

For further information, contact the safety and compliance officer at your building.

Numerous health, safety, and environmental issues must be addressed as a result of undertaking facility maintenance and construction activities. If you are planning or involved in a renovation or construction project (large or small), or facility maintenance activity, this section will help to guide you.

Planning and communication are key to a safe, successful project. The Office of Safety and Quality Management is committed to supporting you with the following:

• Contractor notifications
• General safety requirements
• Hazardous material handling and disposal
• Lockout and tagout procedures
• Training

We have a robust emergency response plan in place to effectively handle a variety of situations, including natural disasters, medical emergencies, and security threats. Our web page provides detailed information on evacuation procedures, emergency contacts, and resources to help individuals prepare for unforeseen events.

The office provides assistance in developing plans, procedures and training.

The Office of Safety and Quality Management provides comprehensive services to the AUC community encompassing all aspects of fire safety. Furthermore, the office is dedicated to supporting the academic, research and safety, allowing the AUC community to pursue their goals in a safe and pleasant environment by providing:

• Fire protection engineering 
• Education 
• Maintenance and inspection services

For further information and inquiries, contact:

Control Room
t: +2.02.2615.4170

Fire Marshal
Mohamed Nosseir
t: +2.02.2615.4173

Fire Systems Supervisor
t: +2.02.2615.4180

Fire Inspection Supervisor
t: +2.02.2615.4174

This section highlights best practices for general workplaces and occupational activities not directly related to chemical, radiological, or biological materials, such as:

• Electrical safety
• Forklift safety
• Injury and illness prevention program
• Ladder safety
• Confined space safety
• Slip, trip and fall prevention
• Hazard communication

The School of Science and Engineering is responsible for properly managing its hazardous materials. The Office of Safety and Quality Management provides guidance and support on key elements, including but not limited to chemical inventory reporting, waste disposal, and off-campus shipping, including:

• Hazardous material storage requirements
• Hazardous material disposal
• Shipment hazardous material

This is a holistic approach to ensure a healthy and safe environment at AUC. This includes:

• Construction and facility maintenance support to safely manage hazardous building materials such as asbestos, lead paint, and mold.
• Workplace health stewardship in areas such as hearing conservation, respiratory protection, and indoor air quality.
• Review of new building design and construction materials to promote healthy building occupancy.

Each laboratory environment possesses a unique set of hazards, including chemical, biological, physical, and radiological hazards.

The following are general safe laboratory practices for personnel working in labs where hazardous chemicals are used and/or stored.

1. Understanding Hazards

• Know the hazards of the chemicals you are working with. Prior to using a chemical with which you are unfamiliar, consult the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or other appropriate references.
• Assume that unknown materials are toxic, and that a mixture is more toxic than its most toxic compound.
• Minimize exposure to all chemicals, regardless of toxicity or their familiarity. Most laboratory chemicals have not been fully characterized with respect to their toxicity. It is prudent to implement procedures that will minimize the likelihood of exposure. Skin contact should always be avoided. Avoid inhalation of chemicals and never sniff to test chemicals.

2. Emergencies

Know the location and proper use of emergency equipment such as safety showers, fire extinguishers, and fire alarms.

3. Engineering Controls

Minimize chemical exposure through consistent and proper use of laboratory fume hoods, glove boxes, or other ventilated enclosures.

4. Personal protective equipment (PPE)

When working with hazardous materials or physical hazards, you must be wearing:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including a lab coat, safety glasses, and disposable nitrile gloves (at minimum). Some hazards require additional PPE.

• Appropriate street clothing, which includes long pants (or equivalent) that cover legs and ankles and non-perforated, closed-toe shoes that completely cover the feet.

5. Working Alone and Unattended Operations

Working alone should be avoided. Working with hazardous materials and equipment always poses risks to the researcher's health and safety. However, these risks are heightened when working alone because help is not readily available in case of a mishap.

To reduce the risks of working alone:

• Do not perform tasks that are not appropriate for working alone.
• Reduce the amount(s) of hazardous materials used.
• Know the location of, and maintain clear access to, emergency equipment (e.g. safety shower, eye wash, fire extinguisher).
• Check alarm systems frequently and immediately take action upon alarm activation.

6. Avoid Ingesting Chemicals

Do's:

• Wash your hands frequently to minimize chemical exposure through ingestion and direct contact with the skin.
• Always wash your hands before eating, drinking, smoking, or applying cosmetics.

Don’ts:

• Use mouth suction for pipetting or siphoning.
• Consume or store food or beverages or apply cosmetics in laboratories (including refrigerators and cold rooms) or in chemical storage areas.

7. Transporting

Use appropriate safety carriers (secondary containment) when transporting chemicals, either inside or outside of the building.

8. Lab Cleanliness

Keep work areas clean and uncluttered. Clean up work areas on completion of an operation or at the end of the day.

If you got hurt at work, follow the following steps:

• Determine the extent of your injury or illness and seek appropriate medical attention
• Inform your supervisor and call the Office of Safety and Quality Management at t: +2.02.2615.4170 as soon as the condition permits or send an email to [email protected] 
• Complete the incident report to document the injury, illness, or close-call event

We encourage everyone to report any safety concerns, including suspicious activities, or potential threats.

Creating a safe campus requires an inclusive and supportive community where individuals feel comfortable reporting any concerns or incidents.

This section details the requirements for the proper identification, safe storage, handling, and accumulation of hazardous chemical waste prior to pick up by the Office of Safety and Quality Management, including:

• Labeling 
• Identification of primary hazards
• Storage compatibility
• Container selection
• Accumulation limitations