Safety Funding

Safety Guidelines for Safety Funding

What will be funded? What will not be funded?

The table summarizes the expectations. PI must dip into project funds for safety consumables and equipment. IISc will take care of all infrastructure requirements, including fire, waste, utilities, etc. OLSEH can help with knowledge sharing, e.g., safety audits, HAZID studies, vendor contacts, regulatory requirements, etc.

Item	PI Contribution	IISc Contribution	Examples
Safety consumables	100%	0%	Items such as gloves, aprons, lab-coats, goggles, safety glasses, laser safety glasses, etc. and safety related items that get consumed in a lab within 2 years, like batteries for sensors, lights, replacement cartridges for sensors, etc.
Capital equipment for labs	100%	0%	Items such as gas sensors, gas banks, barriers, gas tubing, gas cabinets, chemical safety cabinets, exhaust scrubbers, etc.
Capital equipment with Dean Division’s recommendation	X%	(100-X)%	Divisional Deans may decide to extend the definition of basic infrastructure. For example, Chemical Science decided to purchase hoods for the new Chemical Science Division Building. OLSEH will escalate such requests to Dean Division and Dean A&F.
Fire Safety	0%	100%	All Fire safety infrastructure, including fire exits, fire extinguishers, fire hydrants, fire alarm systems, fire detection systems, fire suppression systems, etc.
Utility infrastructure	0%	100%	Covers safety related issues of all utilities, like Electrical: earthing, wiring, etc. Water: water leaks, seepage, waste-water treatment, etc. Building: cracks, seepage, lightning protection, etc.
Waste management	0%	100%	Collection of segregated waste, waste disposal, waste collection sheds, effluent treatment, etc.
Safety Studies	0%	100%	Hazard identification study (HIZ), Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP), Safety Integrity Levels (SIL), Hazardous Area Classification, Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) and Fire and Explosion Analysis (FEA).

What safety infrastructure will IISc offer?

Institute will provide the necessary infrastructure for safety. IISc has defined this specifically to include the following: 

1. Fire Safety: Alarms, hooters, fire extinguisher. If needed, sprinkler & hydrants. Regular maintenance of these systems.
2. Emergency Plan: battery lights, exit signs, fire exit(s), Assembly points. Basic safety signage. 
3. Waste collection: Frequent waste collection to ensure no pile-up. Reasonably sized centralized storage for storing waste between pickups. 
4. Effluent management. Includes water, gas exhaust, and scrubbing.
5. Ramp or service elevator: For heavy goods/chemicals/cryogenic liquids. 
6. Receiving dock or access road: For delivery. 

Divisional Deans may decide to extend the definition beyond this; for example, Chemical Science decided to purchase hoods for the new Chemical Science Division Building. If a fundamental capital item is missing from your department, please submit a proposal with budget. OLSEH will escalate the proposal to Dean (Division) and Dean (A%F). Funding will be provided by IISc, as per their approval.

Which safety systems must be purchased with project funds?

Safety consumable and capital must be purchased by project funds. These include:

1. PPE: PPE are often cheap and easily budgeted as consumables in project proposals. Most PPE are readily available from local vendors with same/next-day delivery. These suppliers also stock imported and high-quality PPE. OLSEH can provide references. Online purchase is also an option. In case a specialized PPE cannot be sourced, OLSEH is happy to work out a solution, e.g., long-term rate-contract or batch purchase.
2. Regular maintenance of lab safety equipment, even essential ones like hoods, must be managed by department or PI. Departments are requested to explore AMC and other long-term maintenance contracts. Funding can come from departmental expenses or project funds.
3. Safety systems needed for specialized lab equipment must be purchased with project funding. There is a precedence of funding agencies supporting safety equipment, provided there is a strong justification. 

Is it possible to get partial funding from IISc?

Maybe. These decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis by the Institute Administration. OLSEH will forward these requirements to the relevant the Dean(s) for their guidance. We recommend that you discuss the issue with Dean (Division) before sending the proposal.

Process for Applying

Step 1: identify the issues. 

1. These can be at the lab level or department level. 
2. A good place to start is the self-audit or external audits. If you need help, ask for lab audit on ADSER (https://adser.iisc.ac.in).
3. For high-risk labs, OLSEH will fund HAZID/HAZOP studies. Raise request on ADSER (https://adser.iisc.ac.in).

Step 2: Draft a proposal. 

1. Just a page or two is enough. We just need line items (budget) and a justification 
2. The proposal can be submitted by individual faculty, department safety champion or staff-lead of a central facility.
3. Budget must be backed by quote(s). 
4. Ensure that only safety related items are included. We will not fund furniture, tube-lights, phones, etc. 
5. Budget must conform to the guidelines. Consumables will not be funded. 

Step 3: Submit to OLSEH for technical evaluation 

1. Upload the proposal and quotes to ADSER (https://adser.iisc.ac.in). If you are having an issue, send email to safety.olseh@iisc.ac.in.
2. One of the Officers will interact with you to refine the proposal. 
3. Goal is to establish urgency and suitability. 
4. Infrastructural or building improvements are executed by CCMD, so we need a quote from them. If there is delay in getting quotes from CCMD. Escalate the issue to OLSEH. We will work with you. 

Step 4: Budget sanction by Dean(s)

1. For capital funding, we need extra approval from the Dean Division. OLSEH will forward your request to Division Dean. If not needed, we skip this step.
2. Next, OLSEH forward the request to Dean-A&F.
3. Once sanctioned, a letter/email will reach you. IISc will transfer money directly to department expenses account. 

Step 5: Implement

1. Implementation is managed by department (from PO to execution). 

Step 6: OLSEH verification & close 

An officer will visit to verify. Safety Guidelines for Safety Funding.