Forms, Policies & Procedures

Infectious Waste Management – EHS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The following guidelines are to be used for the safe handling and disposal of infectious waste generated at the University of Delaware. No radioactive or hazardous waste will be handled through these guidelines. Consult the Radiation Safety Manual and your Department Chemical Hygiene Plan for the proper disposal of those respective wastes.

2.0 INFECTIOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES

The responsibility for infectious waste identification, segregation, and packaging rests with the principal investigator or permit supervisor. The principal investigator or permit supervisor shall follow all of the procedures in the guidelines and provide proper instruction to personnel under their supervision.

All infectious waste generated at the University must be properly segregated from all other wastes. The Department of Environmental Health & Safety will supply the appropriate boxes, bags, and sharps containers for segregation and disposal. A waste is infectious if it meets the following definition of infectious waste as defined by the State of Delaware’s Regulations for Governing Solid Waste, Section 11, Part 1:

Infectious Waste-means those solid wastes which may cause human disease and may reasonably be suspected of harboring human pathogenic organisms, or may pose a substantial threat or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of or otherwise managed. Types of solid waste designated as infectious include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

3.0 SEGREGATION AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS

All waste, except sharps (see definition) and infectious animal carcasses and/or tissues, that is determined to be infectious should first be autoclaved and then placed into a box which is lined with two 6 mil red infectious waste bags. The bags and boxes for the Newark campus are supplied by the Department of Environmental Health & Safety.

When the infectious waste box is full, seal each of the 6 mil red infectious waste bags individually. Each bag is to be sealed by twisting the top of the bag into a gooseneck and wrapping with a sufficient amount of strong tape (ex. duct tape, packaging tape). NOTE: Do not overfill the box. The flaps to the top of the box must be able to close without obstruction. The department will seal the box prior to the pick-up.

If outside contamination of the regulated waste container occurs, it shall be placed in a second container meeting the same requirements as the original container. Notify the Department of Environmental Health & Safety if outside contamination occurs.

Sharps are to be placed into rigid, puncture-resistant containers supplied by the Department of Environmental Health & Safety. Clipping, breaking and recapping of needles and resheathing of scalpels are not recommended in order to prevent aerosols and accidental punctures or cuts. Under no circumstances shall a discarded sharp (used or unused) be removed from a sharps container. Do not overfill the container. When the sharps container is full, tightly seal the container and place into a properly lined infectious waste disposal box.

When the box is full and the red bags have been sealed, submit a waste pickup request or contact the Department of Environmental Health & Safety (831-8475) for a pick-up if your facility is on the Newark campus. Infectious waste will be picked up on a weekly basis. The following information will be asked at the time of your request for service:

1. Name
2. Building
3. Laboratory Room Number
4. Number of Boxes to be Picked Up
5. Packaging Supplies Needed (number of boxes and/or sharps container)

Departments may be authorized by the Department of Environmental Health & Safety to establish a local storage area for waste prior to collection by the disposal company.

Infectious animal carcasses and/or tissues will be handled separately. All animal carcasses and/or tissues should be double-bagged using 6 mil red infectious waste bags supplied by the Department of Environmental Health & Safety. Small animal carcasses can be individually wrapped and collected together in a larger bag. Store carcasses in your freezer or your department’s designated cold storage area. Call the Department of Environmental Health & Safety, 831-8475, for pick-up.

Containers for sharps disposal and for infectious waste at any satellite campus or research facility shall be available from a vendor approved by the Department of Environmental Health & Safety. Collection of filled containers for disposal shall also be done by a vendor approved by the Department of Environmental Health & Safety.

Questions regarding the infectious waste guidelines or infectious waste program should be addressed to EHS or call 831-8475.

Infectious/Biological Waste Pick-Up Request Webform

The waste pickup request form is a University of Delaware web form. To use this form you must log in using your UdelNet ID and Password. You will be asked to provide the following information: your name, department, phone number, location of the waste, and the quantity of waste to be picked up. Waste is picked up from locations on a weekly basis.

Information and Checklist for the Temporary Export of Research Equipment

When you travel outside the United States with University-owned research equipment, you have an obligation to make sure that the shipment is compliant with all applicable U.S. regulations, as well as the regulations for the destination country.  These include Export/Import regulations and associated documentation requirements. Please try to plan travel with research equipment well in advance, even if you are carrying the equipment with you.  It is important to note that transport of University property is a commercial shipment.

Information and Records Management Policies

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   1. This policy defines the departmental role for records and information management, including records and information classification, maintenance, retention, retrieval, protection and preservation.
   2. The policy addresses general departmental records and information management issues and responsibilities, while the attached guidelines address policy issues for information and records stored electronically. …

Related Links

• Legacy Policy 1-10: University Archives and Records Management Program
• Legacy Policy 1-14: Responsible Computing at the University of Delaware
• Legacy Policy 1-18: Electronic Mail Management and Retention
• Legacy Policy 1-19: Employees’ Use of E-Communications

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Institutional Confidentiality and Nondisclosure Agreement

This is an institutional confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement template between the University of Delaware and a corporation. It is meant as a template for aid in drafting of such agreements.

Instructional TV/Media Materials Contracts

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   The educational and research activities of the University of Delaware can be enhanced by employing modern audiovisual technology. The goal will be to produce audiovisual works of the highest quality through the joint effort of University of Delaware faculty, professional staff, and technical specialists.
2. POLICY STATEMENT
   It is the policy of the University to provide the necessary facilities and technical staff to create audiovisual works in cooperation with participating instructors and to release and distribute such works in accordance with the foregoing objectives and the following provisions. …

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Instructions for Opening Radionuclide Shipments

All packages containing radioactive material are physically received at the Department of Environmental Health & Safety where the external radiation levels are monitored and contamination of the package exterior is assessed. The radioactive stock vial(s) in the package is logged into the radionuclide inventory. The Department of Environmental Health & Safety will not normally open packages unless there is a particular need, such as possible damage or to verify the contents of the package or the intended recipient.

The radionuclide user must follow the procedures below when opening all radionuclide packages.

GENERAL PROCEDURES

1. Radioactive packages must be opened and inspected as soon as possible after receipt. Solutions inadvertently stored upside down may gradually leak. Also, suppliers often will not accept claims for damaged shipments not inspected within a short time after delivery.
2. Contamination surveys of packages containing soft beta emitters (e.g. H-3, C-14, S-35, Ca-45, P-33) must be conducted using a liquid scintillation counter (LSC). Packages containing isotopes with beta radiation of higher energy (e.g. P-32, Na-22, Cl-36, Ru-86, 1-131) and most gamma emitters (e.g. Cs-137, Cr-51, Fe-59, Co-60) may be surveyed using a thin end-window GM survey meter or a LSC. Packages containing low energy gamma emitters (e.g. I-125) may be surveyed using a low energy gamma survey meter or a LSC. If you are uncertain which instrument to use to conduct a contamination survey, contact Environmental Health and Safety at 831-8475.
3. Records of the results of surveys must be maintained.
4. Disposable plastic gloves, a laboratory coat, and eye protection must be worn while processing a shipment.
5. Packages containing radioactive iodine or other isotopes with significant possibility of volatility must be processed in a laboratory hood.
6. Vials containing hard beta or gamma emitters should not be grasped by hand. Tongs or other remote handling devices should be used for these packages.
7. As used in these procedures, “Outer Container” means the cardboard box or other shipping container in which the radioactive material is shipped from the manufacturer. The term “Source Holder” means the inner package (usually a lead pig, aluminum canister, plastic sleeve, etc.) in which the vial or bottle containing the radioactive material is placed.

SPECIFIC PACKAGE OPENING/INSPECTION PROCEDURES

To be followed in the order listed below

1. Provide ample workspace with provisions for placing the source holder such that it will not affect the monitoring instrumentation’s background.
2. Visually inspect the unopened package for evidence of apparent damage or leakage. If none is noted, proceed to Step 3.
3. Open outer container and remove packing slip. Check packing slip for contamination and place it in a “clean” area if no contamination is found.
4. Remove packaging material (Styrofoam, padding, etc.) and immediately check material for contamination.
5. If contamination is found, carefully remove gloves, place them on the container, monitor yourself thoroughly, and contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, 831-8475 for instructions. Do not proceed further without consulting with the Department of Environmental Health and Safety.
6. Remove the source holder from the outer container. Smear the unopened source holder with a “QTip” or filter paper and monitor the smear to check for contamination. If contamination is noted, return to Step 5.
7. Open the source holder, remove the final source container (using a remote handling device if the nuclide is a hard beta or gamma emitter), and check the vial label to verify that the contents agree with the packing slip and with your purchase order. At this time, also quickly check the final source container for visible evidence of leakage or breakage of seals.
8. Wipe the outside of the final source container with a “Q-Tip” or filter paper and monitor this wipe to check for contamination. If contamination is noted, return to Step 5.
9. Place the final source container in a storage area with appropriate shielding. Be sure to refrigerate or freeze if appropriate.
10. If your survey shows no evidence of packing material contamination, leakage, or discrepancy between the material/amount ordered and that received, remove or obliterate all radiation symbols and “Radioactive Material” labels from the empty outer container and discard as normal trash.
11. Remove gloves and dispose of them as radioactive waste. Monitor your hands to confirm that they have not been contaminated.
12. When all of the above steps have been completed, log the contents of the package (date received, nuclide, activity, chemical form, purchase order number, etc.) into your laboratory’s radioisotope inventory record. The material is now ready for routine use according to your authorization.

CAUTION

When manipulating the final source container, be very careful of possible radiation exposure to your hands. Also, perform these operations in a containment that will avoid loss of the contents in the event the final container escapes from slippery fingers, tongs, etc.

University of Delaware
Department of Environmental Health and Safety
302-831-8475

Instructions for Ordering Radionuclides

Only the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (DEHS) may place orders for radionuclides. Researchers may contact radionuclide providers to inquire about product information, availability, cost, etc. but they may not place an order.

Most radiochemical vendors provide the university with discount pricing that is less than the catalog or on-line price advertised. DEHS can provide researchers with the price for an item upon request– the following information is needed: vendor name, catalog number, and amount of activity desired (e.g. 250 microcuries).

To request that DEHS place an order, individuals submit the Radioactive Material Requisition (RMR) form found on the UD Webforms site (www.udel.edu/webforms).

• The RMR form may be used to order up to three different products from the same radiochemical vendor. If a product from another vendor is desired, then a second RMR must be submitted.
• When placing the order, DEHS will request that the vendor deliver the shipment to the university on the date that the submitter enters in the “Desired arrival date” field. Orders will be placed with the vendor on the same day that DEHS receives a correctly completed Radioactive Material Requisition. Submitters should be aware that it is unlikely that a request for a shipment to arrive the next day will actually result in a next-day arrival if they submit the RMR in the mid or late afternoon. Even when ordered early in the day, shipments which are requested to arrive on the next day do not always arrive as expected– submitters should make allowances for late shipments when they submit their RMR and plan their experiments.
• When completing the Radioactive Material Requisition, it is not necessary for the researcher to know the total price of the item(s) to be ordered. The “Total price of all units” field may be left blank or an estimated price may be entered. If no price is entered, DEHS will place the order regardless of cost. If a known or estimated cost is entered, DEHS will contact the submitter before finalizing the order with the vendor if the actual cost is much higher that that entered.
• For shipments to be delivered to the Lewes campus, the researcher must enter a name in the field “Name of person who will receive package” to ensure proper delivery. This field may be left blank for shipments to the Newark campus.
• In the “Funding” section, choose “Other” in the Nickname field and enter your “SpeedType” (Purpose Code). If you are uncertain what this number is, contact your departmental business office. The “UserField” may be left blank. Click on “Next Step” to go to page two of the form.
• In the section “Accounting Information”, enter the following number in the “Account” field: 140180. Entries in all the other fields are optional.
• In the section “Routing and Authorization”, chose the appropriate “Purpose Approver” from the pull down menu. If you do not know which name to select, contact your departmental business office. Click on “Finish and Submit”.
• IMPORTANT NOTE!! DEHS will not receive your order request until the Purpose Approver opens the form and approves. This could be a source of delayed orders. If you desire an order to arrive on the following day, it is recommended that you confirm that the Purpose Approver you select on the form is actually at-work that day. Contacting the Purpose Approver immediately after you submit the webform and requesting that they “approve” the order, will also expedite your order.
• Those placing orders are welcome to contact Bill Fendt (x1434) or Geri Foster (x8476) to see if their order has reached DEHS (i.e. has been “approved” by the Purpose Approver).
• The individual submitting the Radioactive Material Requisition form may also identify others to receive a copy of the RMR by entering their email addresses in the COPY fields of the Routing and Authorization section of the form.

The cost of the ordered items will be charged against the identified account but this may take several weeks since shipping charges are not always known at the time the order is placed.

Submitters are welcome to contact DEHS (302-831-8475) if they have questions on how to complete a Radioactive Material Requisition or to inquire whether a RMR has been received or processed.

Intellectual Property Protection, Ownership and Commercialization

1. POLICY
   The University of Delaware strives to support its faculty, staff, and students by pursuing the commercial development of intellectual and tangible research property resulting from University research. The early transfer of such knowledge and rights is consistent with the University’s mission of creating new knowledge and facilitating its application to the benefit of the public. The University has established policies and guidelines that provide incentives for faculty, staff, and students while protecting the integrity of research (also see Legacy Policy 6-11 related to avoidance of conflicts of interest). The University provides a number of administrative and legal services to inventors and authors to effectively and efficiently pursue intellectual property rights and technology transfer.

   It is policy of the University that all inventions and discoveries, together with any tangible research materials, know-how and the scientific data and other records of research including any related government protections (collectively “Intellectual Property”), which are conceived or reduced to practice or developed by University faculty, staff, or students in the course of employment at the University, or result from work directly related to professional or employment responsibilities at the University, or from work carried out on University time, or at University expense, or with the substantial use of University resources, shall be the property of the University. An invention shall constitute any discovery, machine, new and useful process, article of manufacture, composition of matter, life form, design, algorithm, software program, or concept that may have commercial value. University faculty, staff, or students employed by the University who discover or invent or develop a device, product, plant variety, method, or work while associated with the University must cooperate with the University in defining and establishing the rights to such inventions, works, materials, and data. This obligation extends to any Intellectual Property, whether or not made on University time with or without use of University facilities.

   When an invention is made, the inventor shall promptly provide, via the appropriate Department Chair and Dean, and the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Innovation, or his/her designee, an invention disclosure statement describing the circumstances under which the invention was conceived and reduced to practice …

2. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   1. To provide a mechanism for placing in the public realm the fruits of research, while safeguarding the interests of the University, the inventor(s), and the sponsor;
   2. To provide procedures to evaluate the significance of inventions, discoveries, research materials, and works, and the opportunities by which such creative advances may be brought to the point of commercial viability;
   3. To provide adequate legal protection for intellectual property including patent, trademark, and copyright protection for inventions and works falling within the scope of this policy, through the collaboration of University faculty, staff, and students with the assigned attorney(s) and Research Office staff;
   4. To establish principles for determining the rights of the University, the inventor(s), or developer(s) or author(s), and the sponsor;
   5. To provide greater incentives for pursuing and commercializing intellectual property by University personnel;
   6. To assist the inventor(s) or developer(s) or author(s) in realizing tangible benefits from the intellectual property;
   7. To satisfy requirements of certain research grants and contracts; and
   8. To provide a basis for establishment of institutional patent, copyright, and trademark agreements with the federal government and other agencies.

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Intergovernmental Personnel Assignment

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   To outline the process by which faculty can request approval to accept an Intergovernmental Personnel Assignment (IPA).
2. POLICY

   Faculty members wishing to engage in an IPA with a federal agency must first seek approval from their Department Chair, then the Dean and finally the Provost. Copies of this approved form will be forwarded to the Research Office from the originating department. …

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Internal Seed Grant Request for “Rebudgeting” or “No Cost Extension”

UD seed grant funds are available to support research, scholarship and creative activities through annual university-wide competitions. These are merit-based grants designed to help launch an idea leading to future external sponsorship of research in the area. Several of the seed grant mechanisms are administered by the Research Office on an annual basis but there are one-time opportunities as well.

This form is to be used to submit your “No Cost Extension,” “Rebudgeting,” or both to amend your terms of the grant.

This form is used when there is a need to adjust the previous budget in General University Research, UDRF, UDRF-SI, FRAUNHOFER CMB-UD related projects.

IRB Review Types

The University of Delaware (UD) requires that ALL research activities involving human subjects, bio specimens and/or tissue samples from humans, and/or private identifiable data be reviewed and approved by the IRB prior to their start. All submissions to the UD IRB must be made using IRBNet. Depending on the research proposed the IRB may issue different types of review as prescribed in the pertinent regulations and policies: