Policies

Minors in Laboratories Policy

Policy Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure the safety of minors in Farmingdale State College laboratories while encouraging independent or group research; volunteer and educational opportunities; and laboratory visits that involve youth. Additionally, this policy serves as a complement to the Child Protection Policy which requires College staff to take specific actions when working with minors, including the reporting of instances or suspicions of physical or sexual abuse of children.

Persons Affected

Faculty, Staff, Students, Third-Parties

Policy Statement

Farmingdale State College is committed to ensuring the safety of minors on campus, especially in laboratories. Minors may be present in College laboratories as a volunteer, a participant in a research opportunity, or as a visitor partaking in a prearranged tour, event or activity. Minors visiting laboratories as part of a prearranged tour, visit or event should be advised of any lab-specific hazards (e.g., chemical, biological, physical, etc.) that exist in the lab and the procedures for reporting and responding to accidents while in the lab. Visiting minors must be supervised at all times while in the lab. Minors conducting research, volunteering, or participating in activities/experiments in laboratories are required to receive appropriate safety training before beginning lab work. Lab Safety Training shall be administered by the Laboratory Supervisor (or designee). Records of such training must be retained in accordance with the SUNY and NYS General Retention Schedules.

Supervisors are responsible for the health and safety of minors in his/her laboratory. This includes the correct training and use of laboratory equipment, laboratory supplies and personal protective equipment. The Laboratory Supervisor may delegate supervision of minors to trained and knowledgeable lab personnel (such as a FSC Faculty Mentor); however, the Laboratory Supervisor retains primary responsibility. Minors may only be in laboratories under direct supervision, they are not permitted to be alone in the lab. Minors may not have physical access to a laboratory during unsupervised times. In addition to complying with this policy, Laboratory Supervisors are also responsible for complying with the Child Protection Policy and Volunteer Policy.

The College prohibits minors under the age of 16 from working with:

Particularly Hazardous Substances, such as:

• Acutely toxic - LD50 oral ≤50 mg/kg; LD50 contact ≤ 200 mg/kg or LC50 inhalation ≤ 200 ppm.
• Carcinogen - Any substance that is regulated by OSHA as a carcinogen, or is listed under the category "known to be carcinogens" in the Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) or is listed under Group 1 "carcinogenic to humans", Group 2A or 2B "reasonably anticipated to be carcinogens" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer Monographs (IARC).
• Reproductive hazard (mutagen or teratogen) or other chemical restrictions that may have direct and specific effects on sexual function and fertility.
• Biological material requiring BSL 2 containment (ABSA Risk Group Classification).
• Radiation emitting sources (e.g., X-Rays) without prior authorization*.

*Minors may work with radiation emitting sources with prior authorization. The Laboratory Supervisor must request written permission from the Environmental Health and Safety Officer listing the specific sources that the Minor will use and potentially be exposed to. Minors must work in an authorized (designated) space, and they must attend any/all applicable Radiation Safety classes or otherwise be provided with sufficient and adequate training to ensure their exposure risk/potential is limited or otherwise reduced/eliminated to all practical extents possible.

X-Ray Generating Equipment

Minors are prohibited from directly operating X-ray generating or radiation emitting equipment, but are permitted to observe the equipment being used by a trained, authorized user. Written permission and calculation of the potential exposure is required before the minor is allowed to observe the equipment in use.

BSL2 Biological Material

Minors 16 years old and older that have demonstrated to the Laboratory Supervisor a proficiency in techniques and an understanding of the hazards and risks of the material are permitted to work with Particularly Hazardous Substances and BSL 2 Biological Material.

Children Under the Age of 12

Due to the risk presented to a child’s developing immune/neurological systems and their general inability to recognize hazards, no one under the age of 12 is permitted in FSC laboratories outside of the parameters specified above (a supervised laboratory visit, etc.). This includes instances when an employee office is inside a laboratory space. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis pending review and approval by the Dean responsible for the activity or by delegation to the Department Chair or other designee.

The procedures below have been put in place to ensure the safety of all minors in laboratories and outline the specific requirements associated with each type of lab activity.

Procedures

Minors Visiting a Laboratory

1. Minors may enter a Farmingdale State College laboratory as part of a prearranged, supervised tour, visit or event that has been authorized by a Departmental Chair (or Dean), in writing, and directed by a Laboratory Supervisor.

2. The Laboratory Supervisor will be responsible for proper supervision and for providing any appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for visitors. Laboratory tours, visits or events may only be conducted at times when all hazardous materials are properly stored and are not being used for experiments unrelated to the specific visit in question.

3. Minors participating in tours, visits or events must be supervised at all times while on the premises, and may not participate in any laboratory demonstrations until a proper safety orientation is provided by the authorized Laboratory Supervisor and/or designee (e.g., the Environmental Health and Safety Officer).

Minors Actively Using a Laboratory (non-research)

1. In addition to the aforementioned requirements for visiting a laboratory, minors actively using a laboratory must also complete a

Liability Release and Assumption of Risk Form. These forms must be sent to the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) office at least one week prior to the scheduled laboratory activity.

Minors Conducting Research or Volunteering in a Laboratory

1. In addition to the aforementioned requirements for visiting a laboratory, prior to a minor conducting research or volunteering in a laboratory, both the minor and the minor’s parent must sign and return a Safety Agreement and Parental Consent Form as well as the Liability Release and Assumption of Risk form. The Laboratory Supervisor must forward the Liability Release and Safety Agreement to the EH&S office at least one week prior to the start of the research activity or volunteer assignment.

2. In accordance with the College’s Volunteer Policy, any minor conducting research or volunteering in a Lab must complete a Volunteer Application form. The Faculty Mentor must also complete a Request to Hire Volunteer Form. Both forms must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources. Minors will not be permitted to engage in any laboratory activities if the appropriate volunteer forms are not on file in the Office of Human Resources.

3. Laboratory Supervisors are responsible for maintaining a file for all minors under their direction that contains their training records, volunteer forms, Liability Release, and Safety Agreement and Parental Consent Form, as applicable. The file shall be maintained by the Laboratory Supervisor for the duration of the research opportunity or the volunteer assignment, and be made available upon request during that period.

Definitions

FSC Faculty Mentor - Means an employee of the College with direct oversight and responsibilities of a minor who has been offered the opportunity to participate in scientific research at Farmingdale State College (FSC).

Laboratory/Lab - Means a research or clinical setting where scientific research or instruction is conducted. Laboratories often contain hazardous materials (e.g., hazardous chemicals, biohazardous agents, etc.) and/or physical safety hazards (e.g., moving machinery parts, extreme temperature, electrical apparatus, etc.). For purposes of this policy, a laboratory does not include dry or computational laboratories or any other laboratories where no hazardous chemicals, radiation or biological materials are handled or stored and where no physical safety hazards are identified.

Laboratory Supervisor - Means any individual that has direct operational control over the laboratory, including but not limited to, a principal investigator, faculty mentor, instructional support technician and/or instructional support specialist. For the purposes of this policy, a laboratory supervisor must be identified for each program involving minors in a lab and must complete the required paperwork.

Minor - Is a person under 18 years of age. This policy does not apply to minors who are enrolled at Farmingdale State College in a degree-granting or credit bearing program. No one under 14 years old will be permitted to work or volunteer in a laboratory.

Related Documents

FSC Volunteer Policy

Request to Hire Volunteer Form

Volunteer Employment Application

SUNY Child Protection Policy

Safety Agreement and Parental Consent Form

Liability Release and Assumption of Risk Form

Responsible Office

Environmental Health and Safety

Policy History

Last Revised: 11/29/2018
Date of Permanent Approval: 10/02/18
Effective Date: 01/02/2019