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Laboratory Adviser

Laboratory Adviser (lab advisor) assists the department management in monitoring, execution and internal control of the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) responsibility in laboratories.

Main tasks

  • To assist the Head of Department in the execution of HSE system (to coordinate, establish, develop and assure the quality of this work) related to laboratory work in the Department, in cooperation with the HSE coordinator, especially in terms of practical implementation and utilization of know-how related to work in the laboratory.
  • To assist the Head of Department with internal control and coordinating activity in the laboratories.

Practical tasks

  • To assist the department management with HSE training procedures and carrying through the unit's safety rounds.
  • Advise the department group leaders and engineers in laboratory-related issues, including risk assessments, substitution assessments of hazardous chemicals and working with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
  • Internal control for monitoring of chemical cabinets and freezers in the department.

The Laboratory Adviser works closely with the department management and local safety representatives, and participates in a team together with the HSE coordinator for the implementation of the HSE system in IMB laboratory activity.

Laboratory Adviser has an observer role in the local working environment committee (LAMU), but should as a main rule not be considered electable as safety representative.

The Laboratory Adviser attends the IMB forum for laboratory engineers and can use the forum as a venue for information dissemination and workshops.

Laboratory Advisers can establish their own networks in and across the departments to strengthen the systematic HSE work.

Further details about the division of labor between HSE coordinator and laboratory adviser:

  • HSE coordinator has the main responsibility for keeping up to date on safety-related laws, regulations and procedures affecting IMB laboratory operations, and communicating this information.
  • HSE coordinator has the main responsibility for the establishment and further development of HSE-related practices and procedures for the Institute as a whole, with input from the Laboratory Advisers and other relevant key personnel.
  • HSE coordinator calls in to regular team meetings with the Laboratory Advisers to get input on how to best introduce, adjust and further develop safety-related practices / procedures for IMB laboratory work. Laboratory Advisers assist HSE coordinator in the implementation of practices / procedures in the department.
  • HSE coordinator has the main responsibility for obtaining assistance in regards to answer questions or perform tasks that the team lacks the expertise or capacity to attend to and falls within the responsibility of the Institute, for example, from the Health, Safety and Environment Unit, UiOs occupational health service, UiOs network of HSE coordinators or external advisors.

Laboratory Adviser, Department of Molecular Medicine, Kirsten Grundt

Laboratory Adviser, Department of Nutrition, Ingunn Mørk Jermstad

Published Feb. 24, 2017 5:35 PM - Last modified Jan. 12, 2024 10:49 AM