Safety Programs
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Biological and Chemical Safety
The Biological and Chemical Safety Office maintains regulatory compliance to support research, teaching, and service endeavors conducted at UT Southwestern Medical Center and its affiliated hospitals.
Biological and Chemical Safety has responsibilities in several areas, each with a specific regulatory law framework that reflects a combination of practices involving policies, action plans, inspections, sample testing, teaching/training, and program documentation. Biological and Chemical Safety regulates all use of infectious substances, pathogens, and chemicals. The staff is responsible for all lab inspections and audits in order to ensure safety and compliance in dealing with these hazardous materials.
Fire Safety
The goal of the Fire Safety Program is to maintain a campus free from the dangers associated with fire. This is accomplished through:
- Proactive fire protection and fire prevention programs which ensure the buildings and facilities are constructed and maintained in accordance with the adopted codes of the Texas State Fire Marshal
- Continuous education of faculty, staff, and students on various topics of fire safety such as what to do in an emergency and fire extinguisher usage
- Responding to and investigating all fires to determine how the fire occurred in order to prevent it in the future.
The Fire Safety Manual is the reference manual for guidance on how we accomplish our goal through the policy administration and program application.
Laser Safety
Laser Safety regulates all staff, faculty, and residents who use lasers at UT Southwestern University Hospitals, Children’s Health℠ Children’s Medical Center Dallas, Parkland Memorial Hospital, and the VA North Texas Health Care System. Laser Safety staff evaluates recommendations for the purchase, maintenance, repair, documentation, registration, utilization, disposal, and administration of all medical lasers.
Laser Safety also monitors operations of all lasers to ensure compliance with national, state, and institutional regulations and policies.
MR Safety
The Magnetic Resonance (MR) Safety Program strives to prevent workplace injuries. MR encourages voluntary compliance with the American College of Radiology. The team offers white papers on MR Safe Practices and provides safety training on pertinent topics – including hazard zone identification, access requirements, and identification of ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic equipment. MR Safety staff also audits the MR environment for both research and clinical settings to suggest safety improvements.
Occupational Safety
The goal of the Occupational Safety Program is to ensure a workplace that is free from hazards which could result in accident or injury. This is accomplished through:
- Continuous education of faculty, staff, and students on the identification and avoidance of hazards
- Taking a proactive approach on the identification and mitigation of unsafe work practices or areas, and including safety as a key element in the construction or renovation of buildings and property
- Working with other departments such as Human Resources and Occupational Health to better understand injuries in order to prevent future occurrences.
The Occupational Safety Manual is the reference manual for guidance on how we accomplish our goal through the policy administration and program application.
Radiation Safety
The Radiation Safety Program provides institutional support, service, and oversight for the receipt, use, and disposal of radioactive materials and X-ray producing equipment, as well as compliance with applicable state and federal regulations.
Radiation Safety is responsible for the proper licensing and registration of regulated sources of radiation and liaison activities with pertinent regulatory agencies. These services include:
- Overseeing mandated Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) functions
- Assisting the performance of the Institutional Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) and its associated subcommittees
- Monitoring employee radiation exposures; oversight and audit of the use of sources of radiation
- Radiation Dosimetry References:
Our services are extended to all UT Southwestern hospitals and clinics, medical research laboratories, and affiliated hospitals such as Parkland Memorial Hospital and Children’s Health℠ Children’s Medical Center.