The Biosafety and Biohazard Facility, which is located at Naylor Dana Institute in Valhalla, New York, (and is housed in 1,903 sq. ft) conducts a intensive safety program at the AHF and is responsible for formulation and implementation of safety rules and regulations throughout the entire institute. The full-time Safety Officer, Ms. Laura Rozycki, is assisted by a part-time Safety Coordinator and a part-time Administrative Assistant. The Safety Officer fulfills the various mandated roles of chemical Hygiene Biosafety Officer, and Radiation Safety Officer. The Safety Officer ascertains that all laboratory and operational practices and procedures comply with federal, state and local regulations as well as AHF policy. She updates and recommends to the senior staff improvements in safety policy regarding all operations at the AHF. The Safety Officer investigates and submits reports on injuries, fires, and other accidents and periodically inspects laboratories and other operational areas. One of the most significant functions is to monitor working areas by taking samples, swipes and any other tests necessary to assure a safe research environment. The Safety Officer orients all scientific staff in proper safety procedures before they work in the laboratory can commence. In addition to the Safety Coordinator and administrative assistant the Safety Officer is assisted by various Safety Committees in which each division or section of AHF is represented. The Facility provides a variety of safety related functions including a continuing education program as well as an ongoing program of medical monitoring for each at-risk research employee. The facility also supervises the purchase of safety-related equipment and disposal of hazardous waste and oversees several dedicated Shared Resources such as the Carcinogen Repository, the Isotope Laboratory, Solvent, Alcohol and Acid Storage Rooms, as well as high pressure reaction and hydrogenation chambers. Hazardous materials such as human tissues and body fluids are controlled through this facility by way of a shipping and handling tracking system, laboratory worker training and education, biosafety hoods' certification/maintenance, and Biohazard Waste disposal S.O.P.'s. In addition, the Medical Surveillance Program provides for annual research staff risk evaluations, physicals, associated parameters testing, and vaccination/boosters as needed.
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