::. Safety Operations and Support Branch

The Safety Operations and Support Branch is staffed by Safety and Occupational Health Specialists. Each Specialist is assigned primary coverage responsibilities for one or more NIH Institutes or Centers (ICs). The Specialists are first line responders to all occupational safety and health issues at the NIH and the majority of their time is spent in the field. Following is a list of the primary activities in which the Specialists are engaged:

• Safety surveys of laboratories registered to work with human tissue, blood, or body fluids; potential human pathogens; or recombinant DNA (rDNA) technologies on at least an annual basis;



• Investigate work-related injuries and illnesses and make recommendations to minimize potential for reoccurrence;



• As voting members of their ICs’ Animal Care and Use Committees (ACUCs), review all submitted Animal Study Proposals (ASPs) and participate in biannual animal facility reviews;



• Assist their ICs’ Safety Committee in conducting annual surveys of all the ICs’ assigned spaces;



• Perform safety clearances of laboratories prior to maintenance or renovations;



• Assist the NIH Fire Department, upon request, during emergency response;



• Fielding and responding to all incoming safety-related questions, whether they come from within NIH or an outside organization, covering areas such as indoor air quality (IAQ) and odors; shipping requirements for hazardous materials; proper chemical storage, use, and disposal; proper handling, containment, and disinfection of potentially infectious materials; physical hazards; corridor use; proper selection and use of personal protective equipment (PPE); proper selection and use of engineering controls such as chemical fume hoods and other local exhaust ventilation, biological safety cabinets, safety showers and eye washes; guidance on laboratory design and renovation