UNSW Research Safety

Research Safety

Research Safety is the responsibility of UNSW’s Occupational Health and Safety Department.  The main focus with regards to research centres around Gene Technology, Radiation Safety and Bio-safety.

Radiation Safety

The University of New South Wales as a major research and teaching establishment in Australia uses a range of ionising and non ionising radiation in Schools throughout its campuses. The University is committed to operating radiation programs in a manner that will continuously improve the ability of researchers and students to advance the knowledge of Science using radiation in a safe and commercially effective manner for the benefit of society and to conform with legislation. We endeavour to minimise any health and safety effects on people by radiation emitting systems at the University.

We control:        

  • Unsealed sources
  • Sealed sources
  • Sealed source devices
  • Irradiating apparatus
  • Lasers
  • Magnetic resonance equipment
  • Radiation emitting systems
  • Radioactive waste
  • UV emissions

The radiation management system covers all activities, staff, students, visitors and contractors within the University of New South Wales campuses and premises and affiliated organisations designated to be the responsibility of the University of New South Wales.

Radiation Safety Committee

Roles and responsibilities

The role of the University's Radiation Safety Committee (UNSW RSC) is to:

  • Assess and monitor the environmental and safety risk management aspects of University activities that involve ionising and non-ionising radiation
  • Advise senior management on identified radiation hazards and proposed risk control measures.

Matters that Require UNSW RSC Approval or Notification

  • Projects (research and teaching) that involve radioactive isotopes, irradating apparatus or work with class 3 or 4 lasers
  • Applications for registration of radiation premises
  • Proposed variation of a current project or facility registration
  • Incident reports relating to actual or potential risk to people or the environment from radiation, such as unintentional exposure toradiation.>

Further detail is provided in the Radiation Procedure and Radiation safety web page.

Contact Details

All correspondence must be directed to the c [dot] murray [at] unsw [dot] edu [dot] au (Secretary of UNSW Radiation Safety Committee), Occupational Health and Safety Unit, Human Resources, UNSW.

Name Position Phone / Email
Bob Armstrong
 Radiation Health & Safety Coordinator
 T: +61 2 938 52912
E: r [dot] armstrong [at] unsw [dot] edu [dot] au
F: + 61 2 9385 2365

More Information:

Bio Safety

Many of the research programs at UNSW use various biological organisms (human, animal, plants, insects, and micro-organisms, whole or part).  All work with biological organisms, and their by-products, has specific safety and containment requirements for the management of associated hazards.The UNSW Biological Safety Procedure is used to help ensure a structured system for protecting the health and safety of people, and for protecting the environment from risks posed by biological hazards.  It includes the practical requirements for working safely in Physical Containment (PC) facilities, specifically, PC2 Facilities.  See Table 1 for the relationship between biological hazard, approval and containment requirements.
All UNSW research and teaching that involve biological hazards must comply with specific requirements in the Biological Safety Procedure.  Staff and students must consult the procedure for additional information

Specific topic areas

Gene technology Regulations

UNSW has developed the Gene Technology Procedure to ensure a structured system for protecting the health and safety of people and protecting the environment from risks posed by gene technology and dealings with genetically modified organisms.

All UNSW research and teaching that involve dealings with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) must comply with specific requirements in the UNSW Gene Technology Procedure and Staff and students must consult this procedure for additional information.  Any personnel working in a certified PC2 facility must receive training in the relevant behavioural requirements.

Laboratories must be certified by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR).  Please contact the OHS Coordinator (Biosafety) to begin this process.

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

Role of IBC

The Institutional Biosafety Committee:

Assess and monitor dealings with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the containment facilities in which they are conducted; and Provide oversight for biosafety matters at UNSW.

Matters that Require UNSW IBC Approval or Notification:

  • Projects (research and teaching) that involve dealing with genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
  • Applications for certification of physical containment facilities in which GMO dealings will be conducted;
  • Proposed variation of a current project or facility certification;
  • Incident reports relating to actual or potential risk to people or the environment from GMOs, such as loss/spill during transport.

Further detail is provided in the UNSW Institutional Biosaefty Committee Website and the Gene Technology Procedure Gene Technology web page.

Contact details

All correspondence must be directed to the c [dot] murray [at] unsw [dot] edu [dot] au (Secretary of UNSW IBC), Occupational Health and Safety Unit, Human Resources, UNSW.

Name Position Phone / Email
Kate Noble OHS Coordinator - Biosafety & Gene Technology T: +61 2 938 52911
E: k [dot] noble [at] unsw [dot] edu [dot] au
F: + 61 2 9385 2365