• Section 1 - Establishment
• Section 2 - Membership
• Section 3 - Terms of Reference
• Section 4 - Conflict of Interest

Section 1 - Establishment

(1) Originally established by the Board of Governors on 17 August 1995 (BG95/129). Amended by the University Council on 6 December 2001 (CNL01/235) and again on 30 May 2002 (CNL02/74) and 9 December 2006 (CNL05/105) to ensure compliance with the Gene Technology Act (2000) and associated Regulations. Resolution CNL05/105 dated 9 December 2005.

Section 2 - Membership

(2) Expert members only, nominated by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) to be in accordance with the requirements of the Gene Technology Act (2000) , the Gene Technology Regulations (2001) and the Guidelines for Accreditation of Organisations.

(3) The Committee shall comprise a minimum of 6 experts, including members with skills and experience in the following fields:

1. testing of biological safety facilities and equipment;
2. biological safety;
3. microbiology; and
4. molecular biology/genetics.

(4) The Committee shall also include at least one member who has no ongoing, substantive association (including personal, pecuniary or research interests) with matters likely to be considered by the IBC.

(5) Members of the Committee are indemnified, in relation to general areas of Committee operations and in particular for operations involving gene technology, against professional legal liability.

Section 3 - Terms of Reference

(6) The powers and responsibility of the Biosafety Committee are:

1. in terms of microbiological material used in teaching or research within the University, that can produce harm to the health of staff, students or visitors, or cause harm to the environment:
   1. certify that laboratories are of an approved containment standard before they are used for particular teaching or research;
   2. in terms of Infectious Agents transmitted via materials of Human and/or Animal Origin, in addition to points i and iii:
      • to classify staff, students and visitors into high, medium or low risk categories,
      • to classify locations into high, medium or low risk categories,
      • to assist in the development and delivery of educational programs to generate appropriate levels of awareness amongst all staff, students and visitors,
      • to develop and promulgate policies which minimise the risk to staff, students and visitors,
      • to recommend to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) mechanisms to minimise the risk to all staff, students and visitors, and
      • to monitor the implementation of relevant policies and procedures as determined by the University; and
   3. keep a record of all organisms of Risk Category 2 or above held in laboratories, and inspections and certifications of facilities;
2. in terms of the Gene Technology Act (2000) and Gene Technology Regulations (2001):
   1. to assist the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) in meeting legislative requirements, and in particular to:
      • recommend to the Gene Technology Regulator (the Regulator) that facilities meet the requirements specified in the Guidelines for Certification of Facilities/ Physical Containment Requirements,
      • review all dealings with genetically modified organisms,
      • keep a record of all applications, exempt dealings, notifications and approvals, and inspections and certifications of facilities,
      • assist the University in ensuring that the IBC is properly constituted and maintained, and
      • assist the University in preparing an Annual Report to the Regulator;
3. to develop and promulgate policies and guidelines in a Biosafety Manual which can be reviewed and amended by the Committee as required;
4. to receive and respond to complaints and issues of non-compliance raised by any person; and
5. to submit a written annual report on its activities to University Council.

Section 4 - Conflict of Interest

(7) In carrying out the functions outlines in 3 above, the Committee shall ensure that no member adjudicates on any research proposals in which they may have a personal interest. (Any member with such a personal interest shall vacate the meeting room while a decision is being made on the research proposal concerned).