Forms, Policies & Procedures

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:

Laboratory Inspection Form

It is the aim of the Chemical Hygiene Committee (CHC) and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) to work cooperatively with Principal Investigators and laboratory workers to achieve compliance with University safety policies, the Chemical Hygiene Plan and governmental regulations. Unsatisfactory items and laboratory safety violations will be handled, following the steps outlined in the Chemical Hygiene Compliance Policy (https://www.udel.edu/EHS/CHCCompliancePolicy.pdf). Issues that represent an immediate or imminent hazard to University Personnel, risk to the environment or potential to cause damage to University facilities are classified at Category 1 Deficiencies and must be rectified immediately.

Laboratory Inspection Program

Laboratory inspections are required by University Policy 7-02, Department Safety Committees, to be conducted quarterly. The Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer or Safety Committee Chair will organize these inspections which will check for Chemical Hygiene Plan compliance. The inspections may be conducted by the Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer, the University of Delaware Chemical Hygiene Officer, a member of the local safety committee or on occasion the laboratory occupants. Laboratory supervisors are responsible for ensuring compliance with the University’s Chemical Hygiene Plan and must remediate any deficiencies identified in the laboratory in a timely manner.

• University of Delaware Policy 7-02 : Department Safety Committees
• Environmental Health & Safety Laboratory Inspection Standard Operating Procedure and Inspection Schedule
• Laboratory Inpection Form – PDF / DOC

Any questions or concerns related to Chemical Hygiene Plan laboratory inspections should be addressed to the Chemical Hygiene Officer at dehsafety@udel.edu or call 302-831-8475.

Lightning Safety for Outdoor Activities

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE

   Lightning strikes approximately 1,000 people annually in the United States, causing fatalities in about 1/3 of these cases. Most of these cases involve persons in outdoor, open areas during the period preceding, during, or after a lightning storm. Lightning storms move at speeds of 25 mph or more and lightning can strike as much as 30 miles ahead of or following the main rain cell of a lightning storm, striking from a clear blue sky. Because of this, visual means of lightning detection is inadequate. Further, persons must seek shelter in advance of the visual lightning or the main rain cell.

   To ensure the safety of guests, participants, and staff during outdoor activities and to provide the criteria for suspension and sheltering when lightning is detected approaching or threatening outdoor activities. …

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

Local Exhaust Ventilation Equipment

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   To ensure local exhaust ventilation equipment is designed and installed in accordance with standards and recommended practices for the control of hazardous materials. …

For more information regarding this policy, contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (ext. 8475).

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

Lockout/Tagout, the Control of Hazardous Energy Sources

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   1. The purpose of this policy is to prevent injuries to employees from the unexpected energizing, start-up or release of stored energy from machines, equipment, or processes when such employees are engaged in activities where they are at risk from these hazardous energy sources.
   2. This policy requires departments to establish and implement procedures for affixing the appropriate lockout/tagout devices to energy isolating devices, and to otherwise disable machines, equipment or processes to prevent unexpected energizing, start-up or the release of stored energy.
2. POLICY
   1. Each department shall ensure that before an employee performs any activities where the unexpected energizing, start-up or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, all potentially hazardous energy sources shall be isolated, locked/tagged out or otherwise disabled in accordance with the established procedures. …

For a copy of the Lockout/Tagout procedures or more information regarding this policy, contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (ext. 8475) or click here.

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

Material Transfer Agreement Required Webform

The Webform is the first step in requesting a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) and is required by the Research Office prior to approving any request.  Please download and complete the UD Webform, including the MTA attachment, as completely and accurately as possible and submit.  The system will route the completed form to the appropriate approvers in the Research Office or the requestor’s Department.  The Research Office will notify the requestor when the agreement has been fully-executed and it has been approved to ship materials.  Templates for the MTA attachment are provided below.

Related Links

• Material Transfer Agreement Template – Incoming
• Material Transfer Agreement Template – Outgoing
• Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement
• Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement Implementation Letter

Material Transfer Agreement Template – Incoming

A Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) is used to manage and record the transport of research material from one party to another, and is required for both incoming and outgoing materials. The attached MTA template is used to facilitate incoming transfers where the University of Delaware is the Recipient of the transfer. Please complete the appropriate sections of the attached MTA template and sign as Recipient Scientist.

Please note that there is a separate template available on this website for outgoing transfers where the University of Delaware is the Provider of the material.

The appropriate MTA template should be used to confirm the terms of transfer for any non-biological materials, or biological materials where the UBMTA available on this website is not applicable.

In addition to the attached MTA, you must also complete a MTA Webform. Attach the completed MTA (with your signature) when submitting a MTA Webform. The Research Office will review the MTA and obtain any remaining signatures.

For more information regarding intellectual property and research, please refer to the Regulatory Affairs page, or for additional questions, please contact Regulatory Affairs at 302-831-2136.

Related Links

• Material Transfer Agreement Required Webform
• Material Transfer Agreement Template – Incoming
• Material Transfer Agreement Template – Outgoing
• Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement
• Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement Implementation Letter

Material Transfer Agreement Template – Outgoing

A Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) is used to manage and record the transport of research material from one party to another, and is required for both incoming and outgoing materials. The attached MTA template is used to facilitate outgoing transfers where the University of Delaware is the Provider of the transfer. Please complete the appropriate sections of the attached MTA template and sign as Provider Scientist.

Please note that there is a separate template available on this website for incoming transfers where the University of Delaware is the Recipient of the material.

The appropriate MTA template should be used to confirm the terms of transfer for any non-biological materials, or biological materials where the UBMTA available on this website is not applicable.

In addition to the attached MTA, you must also complete a MTA Webform. Attach the completed MTA (with your signature) when submitting a MTA Webform. The Research Office will review the MTA and obtain any remaining signatures.

For more information regarding intellectual property and research, please refer to the Regulatory Affairs page, or for additional questions, please contact Regulatory Affairs at 302-831-2136.

Related Links

• Material Transfer Agreement Required Webform
• Material Transfer Agreement Template – Incoming
• Material Transfer Agreement Template – Outgoing
• Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement
• Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement Implementation Letter

Materials that could Present an Imminent Danger to Health and Safety

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   To control the possession of materials that could present an imminent danger to the life and health of the University community.
2. POLICY
   The possession of hazardous material defined in this policy requires the approval of the appropriate dean, director, chairperson, or administrator, and the Director, Department of Environmental Health and Safety …

For more information regarding the Policy, contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (ext. 8475).

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

Medication and Drug Use and Distribution

1. PURPOSE
   To outline the policy pertaining to the use and distribution of drugs and pharmaceuticals at the University.
2. POLICY
   No legend medications (drugs which require prescription) can be purchased, stored, packaged, or dispensed at the University of Delaware by anyone except persons authorized to do so by State and Federal regulations, for example, physicians, nurses acting under direct supervision of physicians, and pharmacists. This does not preclude the use of prescribed medications or over the counter (OTC) medications intended for the specific (individual) use of a patient (students and/or staff).

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

Mentoring Statement for Postdoc

Consistent with institutional tradition and federal government requirements and recommendations, postdoc mentoring activities at the University of Delaware (UD) are designed to enable postdocs to gain knowledge and skills of value in preparation for careers as independent researchers; including careers as faculty members in research-intensive university environments. The mentoring activities are developed specifically for individuals by lead
researchers and are tailored as appropriate for their fields. The UD Research Office (RO) is available to provide supporting materials and/or instruction to assist lead researchers. Typically, individual postdoc mentoring activities incorporate the guidelines that are suggested in the National Science Foundation Proposal and Award Policies & Procedures:

1. Career counseling,
2. Training in the preparation of grant proposals,
3. Publications and presentation,
4. Guidance on ways to improve teaching and mentoring skills,
5. Guidance on how to effectively collaborate with researchers from diverse backgrounds and disciplinary areas, and
6. Training in responsible professional practices.

Lead researchers typically conduct several activities that comprise a substantial portion of the mentoring experience for postdocs. The incorporation of regular laboratory meetings and seminars, regular individual meetings, and manuscript and proposal writing are frequently seen elements.

“Traditional” mentoring activities can be enriched by postdoc participation in RO sponsored workshops that address
1) the basics of proposal writing,
2) the Responsible Conduct of Research (expanded to address mentor/trainee responsibilities), and 3) quantitative andqualitative assessment of University activities.

Lead researchers are encouraged to work with the RO and other UD support units to broaden the impact of their postdoc mentoring activities in two areas. First, UD promotes the broadening via the identification and facilitation of opportunities for postdocs to mentor undergraduate-scholar researchers who are part of groups such as the UD Undergraduate Research Program or minority scholar programs like the McNair Scholars. Second, where applicable, the broadening of the impact is further enhanced at times by the University’s encouragement and facilitation of the application of postdoc-research “by-products” to outreach activities such as the consideration (or improvement) of current societal issues.

Although supported by University research infrastructure (such as the RO), it is important to note that the mentoring of postdocs is individualized (including those activities aimed at broadening impact) and is developed, conducted and overseen by the postdocs’ lead researchers.

The complete policy and more can be found on the UD Research Office’s web site.