Mission Statement

The primary objective of the Biosafety Program at the University of Tennessee is to ensure a safe working environment for faculty, staff and students.

In pursuit of this goal, our office ensures that laboratory facilities and operations conform to the regulatory requirements as set by: the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) of the University of Tennessee, the state of Tennessee and federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

To mitigate the inherent risks associated with the laboratory setting, we seek to build a culture of safe work practices at the university. To do so, we provide a variety of educational opportunities to those involved in the investigation of biological activities in the form of classroom and online training sessions as well as informational modules found within this website.

Our office also seeks to facilitate collaborative outreach between investigators at the University of Tennessee and the larger academic community.  To this end, we provide support and training for all areas of shipping and permitting for the import and export of biological materials.

Finally, our office provides a route to properly dispose of both biologically hazardous and regulated medical wastes through our contracted disposal servicer.

Initial Training Notice

The initial training of Biosafety Principles and Bloodborne Pathogens is done in a class setting. You must register for these classes by emailing the Biosafety Office at utbiosafety@utk.edu or calling  974-9836. Contact the Biosafety Office if there is a time conflict with your schedule. The Biosafety training is 60 minutes. Bloodborne Pathogen training immediately follows the Biosafety training and will last about 30 minutes.

Please see our Events page for a Biosafety Training Schedule.

Other UT Safety Resources

Radiation Safety Office — The use of radioisotopes in a research or clinical setting requires special consideration for the handling and storage of these materials.

Environmental Health & Safety Office — This office is the primary resource for OSHA-related information and support on the Knoxville campus. Programs include: chemical safety, hazardous waste, respiratory protection, emergency contingency plans and more.

Institute of Agriculture Safety Office — This office is the primary resource for OSHA-related information and support on the Institute of Agriculture campus. Programs include: chemical safety, hazardous waste, respiratory protection, emergency contingency plans and more.