Office of Research Services

The promotion of safety and health policies, practices and procedures is the responsibility of each member of the NIH Community. NIH Manual Chapter 1340 - Occupational Safety and Health Management  establishes guidelines to help each Institute or Center (IC) comply with NIH and federal occupational safety and health requirements. It represents the NIH commitment to actively promote a comprehensive and effective Occupational Safety and Health Program and provides the foundation for a Safety and Health Committee in each IC. 

The Dual Use Research of Concern Institutional Review Entity (DURC-IRE) was established to implement internal policies and practices that provide for the identification and effective oversight of DURC and Pathogen of Pandemic Potential (PPP) within the NIH Intramural Research Program. The DURC-IRE committee will be the NIH authoritative review body for any research that may meet the definition of DURC after review by any of the IBCs and shall review all projects including the 15 agents as outlined in the USG policy, as well as research that may create a PPP.

The NIH Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) provides recommendations to the Director of the NIH or his designee, in matters pertaining to the control of hazards associated with the intramural use of microbiological agents, their vectors, and recombinant DNA. The committee serves as an advisory body to the Division of Safety (DS), Office of Research Services (ORS). 

Laser Safety Advisory Committee (LSAC): A group of individual members of the NIH community who have an inherent interest in laser safety due to their professional role, such as: using lasers in research, laboratory management, and/or safety responsibility. The group shall be composed of members from all NIH ICs operating lasers and will work together with the LSO and DLSO to shape and execute the LSP.​​

The NIH Occupational Safety and Health Committee (OSHC) provides safety policy recommendations to the Director of the NIH or his/her designee in matters pertaining to occupational health, accident control and fire prevention. NIH Manual 1340 - Occupational Safety and Health Management establishes guidelines to help each Institute or Center (IC) comply with NIH and federal occupational safety and health requirements. 

The NIH Radioactive Drug Research Committee (RDRC) is a subcommittee of the Radiation Safety Committee and is mandated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Regulations 21 CFR Part 361.1, “Radioactive Drugs for Certain Research Uses" to review and approve the use of radioactive drugs for research purposes in humans for which an approved NDA (New Drug Application) or an approved INDA (Investigational New Drug Application) does not exist.