Experimental Registration Forms

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, both by undergraduate and graduate students, postgraduate researchers, research staff, summer students and visiting researchers. If the research involves computer work exclusively, a shorter Experimental Registration Form - Computer Work Only must be completed. Blank and sample forms are available from Leticia Gutierrez in WB217, or by clicking on the appropriate link below.

It is important that supervisors ensure all researchers under their supervision register for proper safety training through the Health & Safety Committee (Leticia in WB217 - committee secretary) and that they indeed have a fully authorized Experimental Registration Form.

The form must be reviewed thoroughly by the researcher’s supervisor and signed by the him/her, then submitted to the Health & Safety Committee (Leticia in WB217 - committee secretary) for review and proper authorization. The form will be returned to researcher and if it has any missing information or requires revisions, the form should be corrected and resubmitted for authorization immediately. ONLY WHEN THE FORM HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED CAN LAB WORK BEGIN. When a supervisor signs off on the Experimental Registration Form, and if the form is properly reviewed by the supervisor, he/she 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.

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 Experimental Registration Form but note where asked the further training required, or if 'job shadowing', who will train them, their status and their Experimental 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 recirculation to ensure proper procedures are in place to avoid potential incidents/accident.

Individuals failing to submit and have fully registered an Experimental Registration Form are subject to Departmental sanctions. Graduate students who do not submit a form in a timely fashion will not be eligible for TA appointments, and will lose their research privileges and have their stipend suspended until they have submitted and had fully authorized the required form. Research staff who do not submit a form in a timely fashion lose their research privileges and have their pay suspended until they have submitted and had fully authorized the required form.

Experimental registration forms are issued for a maximum of one year (until July 31st), 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 Experimental 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 Experimental Registration Form. Experimental 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.

Experimental 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 an Experimental Registration Form is submitted after a body of thesis work is submitted, students will not receive credit for that work. For example, if the Experimental 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.