Principles and Rationale

  The university has worked to raise the research laboratory safety standards since 2015 in line with the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT)’s Enhancement of Safety Practice of Research Laboratory (ESPReL) policy. This encourages researchers to be aware of safety, building a proper workplace atmosphere and environment, as well as developing personnel potential at every level. This, in turn, supports the continuous development and enhancement of research laboratory safety. It involves the creation of a safety management system in labs dealing with chemicals that includes the monitoring of safety operations according to laboratory safety practices matching the ESPReL standards. ESPReL guides the development and enhancement of lab safety and covers seven safety aspects.

Objectives

  1. To provide each unit with a lab that is safe and meets Enhancement of Safety Practice of Research Laboratory (ESPReL) standards.

  2.To increase the number of labs at the university that fulfill the ESPReL requirements.

Output

  Thanks to the Enhancement of Safety Practice of Chemical Laboratory 2021 Project, 121 laboratories took part in the project in 2021. In 2020, 121 labs participated and all 121 (100%) were certified as having met the required standards.

Outcome

  Laboratory enhancement at the university in accordance with ESPReL standards began in 2015. Since then the university has developed and enhanced the safety of 293 laboratories from 19 internal university units. All 293 labs (45% of the total number of 644 labs) have passed inspection and been certified in line with ESPReL safety standards. This undertaking has enabled the university to move forward and boost the quality of labs in accordance with safety management standards for laboratories. As such, the workplace environment is safe and work accidents have been lowered in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 on good health and well-being (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages).

Background and Significance

  Mahidol University has continuously carried out occupational safety, health and environment workplace operations within the university since 2010 for the safety of university students, personnel, those carrying out work, and those receiving university services. It has encouraged all units to execute their work within the legal framework and has pushed for safety operations among the various departments and divisions.

   In 2016 Mahidol University took part in the 2016 “Safety and Wellness School” campaign and was granted the Outstanding Award from the Department of Labor Protection and Welfare during the 29th National Safety Week event at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) located in Bangna, Bangkok. Later on in 2017, the Network Committee for Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment at Work, Mahidol University recognized the significance and benefits of this activity and lent its support to the internal units that were ready and showed interest in participating.

  For 2017, five Mahidol University units garnered Outstanding Awards including the Amnat Charoen Campus Establishment Project, the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, the Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University International College (MUIC), and the College of Music. Then in 2018, a total of eight Mahidol University units received Outstanding Awards, namely the Amnat Charoen Campus Establishment Project, the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, the Institute of Nutrition, MUIC, the Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, the Faculty of Science (at Phayathai Campus), the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, and the Faculty of Dentistry.

   2019 saw Mahidol University recognized with Outstanding Awards for 11 of its internal units including the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, the Institute of Nutrition, MUIC, the Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, the Faculty of Science (at Phayathai Campus), the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, the Faculty of Dentistry, the Faculty of Medical Technology, the Faculty of Nursing, the Faculty of Liberal Arts, and the National Institution for Child and Family Development (NICFD). Then in 2020, Mahidol University celebrated the Outstanding Award for 13 of its internal units, namely the Amnat Charoen Campus Establishment Project, the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, the Institute of Nutrition, MUIC, the Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, the Faculty of Science (at Phayathai Campus), the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, the Faculty of Dentistry, the Faculty of Medical Technology, the Faculty of Liberal Arts, NICFD, and the Faculty of Public Health.

   Thanks to this activity, Mahidol University is aware of its units’ occupational safety, health, and workplace environment potential. As such, the university continues to encourage active participation in this activity, leading to more and more units showing interest. This has helped the university generate safety awareness and continually and effectively develop safety management at the unit level.

Objectives

   1. To ensure that work units are aware of their internal occupational safety, health, and workplace environment and that they develop safety management procedures to meet the legal requirements and related standards.

   2. To inspire the work units and campaign for greater levels of safety in all units.

  3. To ensure that work units practically and continuously carry out occupational safety, health, and workplace environment operations, with the activity’s Outstanding Award as a reward for their endeavor.

Output

  1. Duration: January to September, 2021

  2. Total number of participating units: 19 units Awards received based on assessment by the Department of Labor Protection and Welfare: Outstanding Award for 19 units

Outcomes

  1. To build awareness of occupational safety, health and workplace environment for concrete development in units.

  2. To build a cooperative network within Mahidol University for the efficient development of occupational safety, health, and workplace environment management in each unit through the exchange of knowledge.

  3. To be a model of occupational safety, health, and workplace environment operations in a school setting. This will, in turn, enable Mahidol University’s internal units to gain national recognition for having good occupational safety, health, and workplace environment management.

         

         

         

         

Background and Significance

   Mahidol University announced its Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Policy and guidelines in 2014 and its Biosafety Management Policy in 2020 to build an occupational safety, health and work environment management system covering every dimension for the university students, personnel, and outsiders. It has also improved the operations in line with the university’s strategic plan for research excellence. Its knowledge and scientific and biotechnology innovations play an important role in research and development in the areas of medical science, public health, and environment. Moreover, the university’s work dealing with pathogens, animal toxins, and modern biotechnology has increasingly become more important.

   At present, there are relevant requirements, regulations, and laws governing these operations. Mahidol University has set up the Mahidol University-Institutional Biosafety Committee (MU-IBC) whose main responsibility is to devise a system and standards to inspect and supervise all activities dealing with biosafety and biosecurity, as well as to direct all units to ensure that their operations comply with all related laws.

Because Mahidol University recognizes the importance of providing appropriate knowledge and understanding about work relating to biosafety and biosecurity, it offers a course entitled “Biosafety and Biosecurity.” The course content aligns with the Department of Medical Sciences announcement on certifying units or organizations that provide biosafety and biosecurity training. The training course equips participants with knowledge and understanding that can be applied to their work. It also enables operators and operation personnel to do so safely in accordance with the biosafety and biosecurity principles.

Objectives

  1. To equip trainees with the knowledge and understanding about relevant principles, laws and regulations, as well as biosafety and biosecurity guidelines.

  2. To enable participants to properly and safely apply what they learn during the course following the law and biosafety and biosecurity standards.

Output

  - The training was held online via Webex on August 6 and 9,2021.

  - Total number of participants: 167; Total number of participants who passed: 167 (or 100% of the participants) with a passing mark of 80%.

  - Types of participants: Lecturers, support staff, researchers, and university students.

  - Overall level of satisfaction: Most satisfied (4.62)

    

Outcomes

   Mahidol University’s biosecurity management meets the criteria established by the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Policy since 2014 and the Biosafety Management Policy in 2020. The “Biosafety and Biosecurity” training course has resulted in units improving operations involving pathogens, animal toxins, and modern biotechnology and conducting those operations in accordance with the law. Moreover, operators and operation personnel are able to carry out their duties safely following the biosafety and biosecurity principles. They can also reduce risks to their health which is in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.