Incident Reporting

Incidents involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids &/or modified organisms

The NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines) require that “any significant problems, violations, or any significant research-related accidents and illnesses” be reported to the Nationl Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Science Policy within 30 days.

Section IV and Appendix G of the NIH Guidelines specifies certain types of accidents that must be reported on a more expedited basis. Specifically, Appendix G-II-B-2-k requires that spills and accidents in BL2 laboratories resulting in an overt exposure must be immediately reported. In addition, Appendices G-II-C-2-q and G-II-D-2-k require that spills or accidents occurring in high containment (BL3 or BL4) laboratories resulting in an overt or potential exposure must be immediately reported.

IBC-Related Incident Reporting Contacts

Note: phone number is the primary method of contact for each contact.

Process

1. As soon as any initial response is complete and incident is stable, immediately notify the lab director and/or lab manager, the animal facility or greenhouse manager (if applicable), and the university biosafety officer.
2. The university biosafety officer will acknowledge receipt of notification via email (to document notification) to the reporting person and other appropriate personnel.
   • NOTE: If the university biosafety officer does not acknowledge receipt of notification within two (2) hours, notify an associate or assistant bosafety officer (ABO).
   • If email is not available, the university biosafety officer/associate or assistant biosafety officer will acknowledge receipt via phone call to the reporting person and other appropriate personnel.
     
     
3. Reporting person and lab director/ lab manger/animal facility manager must complete the Virginia Tech Ennvironmental Health and Safety (EHS) Incident Report Form online as soon as possible.
   
4. University biosafety officer/associate or assistant biosafety officer will acknowledge receipt of the report via email.
   
5. University biosafety officer/associate or assistant biosafety officer will complete the appropriate state and/or federal reporting forms and submit them to the National Institutes of Health and/or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as applicable.
6. If the incident involves recombinant/synthetic nucleic acids, modified animals, modified plants, and/or other modified organisms, the incident also needs to be reported to the IBC program director, by email at ibc@vt.edu, within 24 hours after the incident has occurred.   The IBC program director will work with the EHS biosafety officer to complete and submit the required NIH incident report to the National Institutes of Health Office of Science Policy.