Stay safe with biological agents, chemicals and radiation
This area provides you with guidance, training, legislation and more information to assist management of activities involving biological agents, chemicals and radiation.
A wide range of activities involving potentially hazardous biological agents, chemicals or harmful radiation take place across the University.
These activities need to be risk assessed and registered through GSafe, including related certification and training information.
Working with biological materials, chemicals or radiation
All work involving biological materials, chemicals or radiation must be carried out while following specific safety and containment requirements. Some biological materials and chemical substances may be subject to further regulations or controls.
Griffith requires registration for all activities involving all biological materials, radiation and some chemicals through the Activity register in GSafe.
Biosafety
Biological agents include:
- Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
- Imported biological material, which may be subject to Biosecurity
- Other biologicals, for example, wild microorganisms, tissues, fluids or toxins
Further regulatory controls may include:
- Gene technology
- Import / Export
- Security sensitive biological agent legislation
Additional resources to the list below are available from the University Biosafety Committee, which oversees biological risk.
Chemicals
Use the lab activity register in GSafe to register activities involving:
- Prohibited and Restricted Carcinogens
- Scheduled Substances (S2, S3, S4, S7, S8, S9 and S10)
- High Risk Pressure Vessel activities
Chemicals which require additional controls include:
- Chemicals of Security Concern
- Prohibited and Restricted Carcinogen
- Scheduled Substances (Medicines and Poisons)
- Nanomaterials
Radiation
Activities involving potentially harmful radiation include:
- Ionising radiation from devices such as X-rays
- Sealed radiation sources within instruments
- Unsealed radiation sources, such as radioactive compounds
- Non-ionising radiation, such as lasers
Contact us
Health, Safety and Wellbeing General Enquiries
Health, Safety and Wellbeing are the first point of contact for university staff for all general health and safety enquiries including those related to training, first aid, risk management, wellbeing, and injury and disability support.
