Biological Risk Management (BRM) Policy Approval

Implementation Date: 2/19/2009

Date of Last Revision: 2/2021

Next Review Due: 2/2024

 

Reviewed by VTH Administrative Team: 3/2013

Reviewed by VTH Board: N/A

 

Reviewed by Legal Counsel: N/A

Reviewed by Biosecurity Subcommittee: 3/2021

Subject to modification by the Biosecurity Subcommittee of the CVM Occupational Health and Safety Committee without approval.

Policy

1. General Biosecurity policies of a non-critical nature will be submitted to the Biosecurity Committee and then to the Administrative Team, which will forward the policies to the Section Heads for approval at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
2. To expedite critical Biosecurity policy approvals, the VTH Section Heads may approve such policies via email communications rather than at a routinely scheduled meeting.
3. The VTH Director or the Biosecurity Officer may institute protocols in emergency situations to protect employees, students, clients and patients.
   
   

Guidelines

Any employee or student may bring biosecurity concerns to their supervisor, the VTH Director or Biosecurity Officer for consideration at the next regularly scheduled meeting. 

Procedure (if applicable)

1. Biosecurity concerns received by supervisors, the VTH Director and the Biosecurity Officer must be submitted in writing via email to the Biosecurity Committee and contain specific information as to the nature of the concern.
   
   
2. Critical Biosecurity policy approvals may be expedited via email. These policies may include protocols that should be instituted without delay to protect employees, students, clients, and patients.

1. 1. Proposed critical Biosecurity policies will be forwarded to the VTH Section Head members by email.
   2. Members will have one week from date the email was sent to return comments for amending the current policy.
   3. Requested amendments of the current policy should be documented by current literature.
   4. After seven days, the policy will be revised with any necessary explanations and reissued to the Biosecurity Committee and then to the VTH Section Heads for review.
   5. The VTH Section Heads will, after approval of the revised policy, assign an effective date.

Definitions (if applicable)

Biosecurity – Security from exposure to harmful biological agents and the measures taken to ensure the security.

Critical – of decisive importance with respect to the timely outcome or implementation of the policy.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH): The collective clinical services of the Large Animal Clinic, Midwest Equine, the Small Animal Clinic, and the Veterinary Medicine South Clinic.