STUDENTS WILL BE ISSUED KEYS AND CAN START LAB WORK ONLY AFTER AN APPROVED RESEARCH REGISTRATION FORM IS OBTAINED.
It is Department policy that all research be registered prior to commencing work on the project. This policy applies to both experimental and computer research, by undergraduate and graduate students (including MEng project students), summer students, postgraduate researchers, research staff, and visiting researchers. A Research Registration Form must still be completed if the research involves computer work exclusively, although only certain designated sections must be filled out. Blank forms are available by clicking on the following link.
It is important that supervisors ensure all researchers under their supervision register for proper safety training through the Health & Safety Committee and that they indeed have a fully authorized Research Registration Form and RRF Number. Please contact the department Health and Safety Committee (CHE H&S Committee) if you have any questions regarding safety training or RRF completion.
The form must be reviewed thoroughly by the researcher’s supervisor and signed by the him/her, then submitted to CHE H&S Committee for review and proper authorization. Revision turnaround is roughly 5-7 business days but will be longer during high volume periods (ie. the start of a semester). You will receive email notification when your form has been reviewed and if it has any missing information or requires revisions. If revisions are required, \ the form should be corrected and resubmitted for authorization immediately. ONLY WHEN THE FORM HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED CAN LAB WORK BEGIN.
Prior to a supervisor signing off on a Research Registration Form, the form must be properly reviewed by the supervisor. The supervisor should know the full details of the experiment and should ensure all proper safety procedures are in place in case of off-gasing, potential flooding in the event of water recirculation line failure, etc. They must review these forms with the students in detail, including a site visit to the lab by the supervisor and student to check the equipment hazards involved in the experiment and ensure all possible hazardous issues are dealt with ahead of time. The supervisor should ensure that all sections of the form are completed in detail and that all supplementary training is completed (ie. biosafety, radiation, etc) and all permits required are attached. A copy of EH&S training record/course grade must be attached as proof of completion of course(s). EHS training history can be obtained via My EHS at the bottom of the page. This must be attached to any Research Registration Form when submitted. Only once this is done should a supervisor sign the form.
Should a new researcher require further training (biosafety, radiation, laser) or be required to ‘job shadow’ (i.e., observe or assist a senior grad student, post doc or lab technician) in order to get on-the-job training and determine what they will be doing for their project, they should complete the regular Research Registration Form but note where asked the further training required, or if ‘job shadowing’, who will train them, their status and their Research Registration Form number.
Inspection of experimental apparatus prior to form being approved should be done by a H&S committee member when equipment involves toxic/noxious gases or chemicals, and/or water re-circulation to ensure proper procedures are in place to avoid potential incidents/accident.
Individuals failing to submit and have fully registered a Research Registration Form are subject to Departmental sanctions. Those who do not submit a form in a timely fashion will lose their research privileges and stipend/pay until they have submitted and had fully authorized the required form. Graduate students will not be eligible for TA appointments unless they have a valid Research Registration Form.
Research registration forms are issued for a maximum of one year (until July 31), but may be re-submitted for extension if the work is ongoing. If there is a substantive change in the chemicals and/or procedures used, a new form should be submitted. Once a registration number has been assigned, and the form has been returned to you, it should be placed in the plastic holder attached to the door of your laboratory or, if your lab group is large, in a group binder. A note should be clearly visible on the door indicating the location of the Research Registration Forms for the group. If the permit applies to research conducted in more than one laboratory, place a note in the plastic holder attached to the door of each of the other labs clearly indicating the location of the Research Registration Form. Research Registration Forms are issued to individuals, and therefore, separate forms are required from each person doing research, even if the work is substantially the same.
Research Registration Forms for 4th year thesis students must be submitted to the Undergraduate Office before work commences, or by the date designated by the Undergraduate Chair, whichever comes first. The form will then be forwarded to the Health & Safety committee for authorization. The form will be returned to researcher and if it has any missing information or requires revisions, the student must address all changes and questions about their form, resubmit the form and have it authorized by Health & Safety committee before work commences, or by the date designated by the Undergraduate Chair, whichever comes first. ONLY WHEN THE FORM HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED WILL THE STUDENT BE ISSUED A LAB KEY AND CAN LAB WORK BEGIN.
Students that do not comply with this deadline will not receive credit for thesis work submitted (e.g., interim report, poster, oral presentation, final thesis) until such time that a form is submitted and approved. If a Research Registration Form is submitted after a body of thesis work is submitted, students will not receive credit for that work. For example, if the Research Registration Forms was submitted November 1st, but the revisions were not submitted until January 30th, the student would not receive credit for either the interim report or the poster presentation. If a student does not submit a form, or if the requested revisions are not submitted and authorized, the Department will not issue a grade for CHE489/499.