Safety Funding

Process for Accessing Funds for Safety

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 that everyone did last year. Some departments have also done external audits. 
3. For high-risk labs, IISc will fund HAZID/Bowtie studies to identify safety issues. Contact OLSEH. 
4. Please do this before Dec 31 if you are interested in money this FY. 

Step 2: Draft a proposal. 

1. Just a page or 2 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. Please make sure only safety related items are included. We will not fund furniture, tubelights, phones, etc. 
5. Budget must conform to the attached guidelines. Note: consumables are not funded. 

Step 3: Submit to OLSEH for technical evaluation 

1. 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, suitability, and consistency. 
4. In some cases infrastructural/building improvements are needed. These are done by CCMD 
   • We understand there is some delay in getting quotes from CCMD. Escalate the issue to OLSEH. We will work with you. 

Step 4A: Get budget sanctioned from Dean-A&F 

1. OLSEH forwards the request to Dean-A&F. Once sanctioned, a letter/email will reach you. 
2. All implementation is managed by department. 
3. Dean (A&F) will transfer money directly to department expenses account. 

Step 5: Implement the changes 

Step 6: OLSEH verification & close 

1. An officer will visit to verify. 
2. Submit a 2-page final report showing actual expenses, pictures, and other remarks. 

---

Safety Guidelines for Safety Funding

This document outlines the policy and procedures to obtain funding for safety related issues. These apply to both individual faculty, department and central facilities, which are all referred here as PI

Policy

Safety Issue	PI Contribution	IISc Contribution	Remarks
Personal protective Equipment (PPE) and 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: first 2 lakhs after 2 lakhs required by a lab or central facility.	100% 20%	0% 80%	Items such as gas sensors, gas banks, barriers, gas tubing, gas cabinets, chemical safety cabinets, exhaust scrubbers, etc. Any amount above 2 lakhs will be subsidized by IISc. E.g. If PI spends 3 lakhs, IISc will fund 80k.
Fire Safety required by a department or building	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 required by a department or building	0%	100%	Covers safety related issues of all utility systems Electrical: earthing, wiring, etc.Water: water leaks, seepage, waste-water treatment, etc.Building: cracks, seepage, lightning protection, etc.
Waste management required by a department or building	0%	100%	Waste management: e.g. collection of segregated waste, waste disposal, waste collection sheds, effluent treatment, etc.
Safety Studies for laboratories or central facilities	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).

Procedures

The up gradation of lab safety will be implemented like an internal project. PI will submit project proposal and final report. Last date to submit requests is June 30th, 2020.

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 centralised 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 any of these are missing from your department, please submit a proposal with budget. OLSEH will escalate it to Dean P&I. Funding will be provided by IISc.

Which safety systems must be purchased with project funds?

1. PI must purchase PPE with project funds. 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 specialised 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 specialised 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?

For old equipment (purchased before these guidelines) or in exceptional circumstances, IISc can provide partial funding, up to 80% of the total cost. These decisions are taken on a case by case basis by the Insititute Administration, on the Divisional Dean’s recommendation. After technical diligence, OLSEH will forward these requirements to the relevant Divisional Dean Office.

Who processes the PO?

Funds are transferred to Department expense accounts. In minimal cases, like rate contract for the fire extinguisher, OLSEH will manage the purchase process.