Academic and Research Training

Academic and Research Training

• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Training
• Institutional Review Board (IRB)
• Institutional Animal Care and Usage (IACUC)
• Emergency Operations for Institutional Animal Care and Use
• Institutional Biosafety Training (Institutional Biosafety Committee)
• Responsible Conduct of Research
• Lab Safety Training
• General Art Safety Training
• Additional Research Training

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Training

West Texas A&M University requires all individuals conducting or participating in research projects (including faculty, staff, and students) that involve bloodborne pathogens to complete training. This requirement is met by the successful completion of the online training module from the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) website or through successful completion of the Bloodborne Pathogens Online Training - System Version on TrainTraq. The course ID number 2111525.  Please go to HRConnect at https://sso.tamus.edu/ to complete this training. As of January 1, 2014, training will be required on an annual basis in conjunction with Texas Health and Safety Code Title 2, Subtitle D, Chapter 81, Subchapter H Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan Section 81.304.

All individuals engaged in research involving bloodborne pathogens must complete the CITI training modules and quizzes with a minimum score of 80%. Successful completion of the course is required, and the course may be repeated as necessary to achieve the 80% score. At the time of completion, a certificate can be printed by the trainee and must be submitted to the appropriate instructor. Electronic notification is also sent to the Office of Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety.

Individuals may exit and resume the training at any time. Once successfully completed, a refresher course is required every year. At any time, you may return to the training modules and print a certificate.

Successful completion of the CITI modules is required before initial assignment to tasks where occupational exposure may occur.

Please follow the steps below to register and begin your training:

• Link to CITI Training Modules.
• Click New Users Register Here.
• Select West Texas A&M University as your participating institution
• Complete the remaining registration form.
• Select the Learner Group that applies to you.
  • Biomedical Research Investigators

If you have questions, please contact Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety at 806.651.2740 or AR-EHS@wtamu.edu.

West Texas A&M University requires all individuals conducting or participating in research projects (including faculty, staff, and students) that involve human subjects (or serving on the IRB committee) to complete training for the Protection of Human Subjects. This requirement is met by the successful completion of the online training module from the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) website.

All individuals engaged in research involving human subjects must complete the CITI training modules and quizzes with a minimum score of 80%. Successful completion of the course is required and the course may be repeated as necessary to achieve the 80% score. At the time of completion, a certificate can be printed by the trainee and must be submitted with your IRB submission. Electronic notification is also sent to the Office of Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety.

Individuals may exit and resume the training at any time. Once successfully completed, a refresher course is required every three years. At any time, you may return to the training modules and print a certificate.

Successful completion of the CITI modules is required before submission of the Institutional Review Board Protocol Form for the Protection of Human Subjects. Protocol forms will be reviewed only after the researcher has completed the CITI training.

Please follow the steps below to register and begin your training:

• Link to CITI Training Modules.
• Select West Texas A&M University as your participating institution
• Complete the remaining registration form.
• Select the Learner Group that applies to you.
  • Biomedical Research Investigators
  • Social and Behavioral Research Investigators
  • Students conducting no more than minimal risk research
  • Research with data or laboratory specimens-ONLY
  • IRB Members (Required for IRB Members/Chair)

IACUC - Animal Research Training

The federal Animal Welfare Law (administered by the USDA) and regulations of the Department of Health and Human Services (including PHS) require training and continuing education of all scientists, research technicians, animal care technicians, and others involved with animal care and use. These laws and regulations require that the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), as an agent of West Texas A&M University, determine that personnel wishing to conduct procedures on animals are qualified and trained to do so on the animal species proposed. To fulfill this responsibility, the IACUC requires all personnel involved with animal care and use to complete the appropriate training modules in the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training program.

All individuals engaged in research involving animal care and use (or serving on the IACUC committee) must complete the CITI training modules and quizzes with a minimum score of 80%. Successful completion of the course is required and the course may be repeated as necessary to achieve the 80% score. At the time of completion, a certificate can be printed and must be included with IACUC submission. Electronic notification is also sent to the Office of Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety.

Individuals may exit and resume the training at any time. New training is required every three years. At any time, you may return to the training modules and print a certificate.

Successful completion of the CITI modules is required before submission of IACUC application forms. Protocol forms will be reviewed only after the researcher has completed the CITI training.

Please follow the steps below to register and begin your training:

• Link to CITI Training Modules.
• Select West Texas A&M University as your participating institution.
• Complete the remaining registration form.
• Select the Learner Group that applies to you. You will be asked if you conduct studies that use lab animals. If yes, you will be required to complete the Basic course and the appropriate species-specific modules. If you are an IACUC member (including the chair), you will be asked to complete 'Essentials for IACUC Members."

Please contact Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety if you have questions at 806.651.2740 or AR-EHS@wtamu.edu. 

Emergency Operations for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) is committed to ensuring that vertebrate animals used in research are treated in a humane, ethical manner, with the highest standard of care according to applied federal, state, and institutional regulations and policies. This training is intended to provide WTAMU’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), faculty, staff and students, a general plan of action in the event of an emergency or disaster with potential impact to the animals housed in campus laboratories or in WTAMU associated animal care facilities, to include the Nance Ranch, WTAMU Feedlot, WTAMU Horse Center, and the Buffalo Mascot facility.

WTAMU employees (including research assistants) can complete additional training Emergency Operations for IACUC - WTAMU on TrainTraq. The course ID number 2112039.   Please go to HRConnect at https://sso.tamus.edu/ to complete this training.

Please contact  Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety if you have questions at 806.651.2740 or AR-EHS@wtamu.edu.

Biosafety Training

General biosafety training is required by all individuals conducting research involving Recombinant Research and other biohazardous materials (or serving on the IBC committee). The NIH Guidelines state that it is the responsibility of the Institution "to ensure appropriate training for ... principal investigators and laboratory staff regarding safety and implementation of the NIH Guidelines" (Section IV-B-1-h).

Biohazardous materials are defined as materials of biological origin that have the capacity to produce deleterious effects on humans or animals. These include: recombinant DNA molecules, microorganisms classified in various Risk Groups (RG-1, RG-2, RG-3, or RG-4) and their biological products, specimens known to (or reasonably expected to) contain human pathogens and hazardous microorganisms, and combinations of or waste derived from these.

To fulfill this responsibility, WTAMU requires all personnel involved with biohazardous materials to complete the biosafety training in the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training program.

All individuals engaged in biosafety research must complete the CITI training modules and quizzes with a minimum score of 80%. Successful completion of the course is required and the course may be repeated as necessary to achieve the 80% score. At the time of completion, a certificate can be printed and must be included with IBC submission. Electronic notification is also sent to the Office of Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety. Individuals may exit and resume the training at any time. New training is required every three years. At any time, you may return to the training modules and print a certificate.

Successful completion of the CITI modules is required before submission of IBC application forms. Protocol forms will be reviewed only after the researcher has completed the CITI training.

Please follow the steps below to register and begin your training:

• Link to CITI Training Modules.
• Select West Texas A&M University as your participating institution.
• Complete the remaining registration form. Select the biosafety course.

Please Note:  All individuals engaged in research involving Biosafety level 2 or above must complete an annual face-to-face training session with Academic Research Environmental Health and Safety.  Training is available on the 2nd Thursday of every month either at 10 A.M. or 2 P.M.  The location of the training is Killgore Research Center, Room 103. R.S.V.P. is not necessary. 

For more information regarding biohazardous materials or recombinant DNA please visit www.wtamu.edu/ibc.

Please contact Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety if you have questions at 806.651.2740 or AR-EHS@wtamu.edu. 

Responsible Conduct of Research

The America COMPETES Act, signed into law in 2007, mandates training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (Section 7009). Both the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have published regulations implementing this requirement (see excerpts below).

In order to meet these requirements, West Texas A&M University utilizes the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program to provide training. New researchers should discuss this training requirement with their research supervisors before proceeding. All students awarded and accepting internal grants or research support funding from WTAMU (including Killgore Research Grants and President’s Summer Undergraduate Research Grants) must also complete responsible conduct of research training.

Please follow the steps below to register and begin your training:

• Link to CITI Training Modules.
• Select West Texas A&M University as your participating institution.
• Complete the remaining registration form.
• Select the Learner Group that applies to you. You may choose from the following discipline-specific courses:
  • Biomedical Research
  • Social and Behavioral Research
  • Physical Science
  • Humanities
  • Engineering

A review of the required materials and completion of the quizzes will take about 30-35 minutes per topic. You do not have to complete the course all in one session. A minimum aggregate score of 80% is required to pass the RCR course.

According to the National Science Foundation’s "Grant General Conditions," effective January 4, 2010, Section 18: Responsible Conduct of Research states:

Article 18 applies to new proposals submitted or due on or after January 4, 2010. In accordance with Section 7009 of the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act (42 U.S.C. 1862o-1) NSF requires that grantees must have a plan in place to provide appropriate training and oversight in
the responsible and ethical conduct of research (RCR) to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct research. Training plans are subject to review, upon request. Grantees must designate one or more persons to oversee compliance with the RCR training requirement. Grantees are responsible for verifying that undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by NSF to conduct research have received training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research, in accordance with the plan the grantee has put in place for their organization. Grantees shall ensure that these RCR requirements flow down to all sub-recipients, or are otherwise appropriately addressed in the sub-award instrument.

The National Institutes of Health has a similar policy.

This policy states:

NIH requires that all trainees, fellows, participants, and scholars receiving support through any NIH training, career development award (individual or institutional), research education grant and dissertation research grant must receive instruction in responsible conduct of research. This policy will take effect with all new and renewal applications submitted on or after January 25, 2010, and for all continuation (Type 5) applications with deadlines on or after January 1, 2011. This Notice applies to the following programs: D43, D71, F05, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F37, F38, K01, K02, K05, K07, K08, K12, K18, K22, K23, K24, K25, K26, K30, K99/R00, KL1, KL2, R25, R36, T15, T32, T34, T35, T36, T37, T90/R90, TL1, TU2, and U2R. This policy also applies to any other NIH-funded programs supporting research training, career development, or research education that require instruction in responsible conduct of research as stated in the relevant funding opportunity announcements.

Lab Safety Training

All WTAMU employees and students who are involved in WTAMU laboratory research must complete laboratory safety training.

WTAMU employees (including research assistants) must complete the Hazard Communication and Laboratory Safety training on TrainTraq. The course ID number 2111163.  WTAMU employee training is required every two years.  Please go to HRConnect at https://sso.tamus.edu/ to complete this training.

WTAMU students must complete the Student Laboratory Safety Training. Working with the academic departments, AR-EHS has compiled a list of WTAMU courses, laboratories, studios, and other student activities in which the students could be exposed to hazardous chemicals. To participate in the course and associated laboratory, or in-class activities, the student is required to complete online "Student Laboratory Safety Training" that is assigned to the student on WT Class upon registration of a course, laboratory, studio, or other student activity. Upon registration of a course, laboratory, studio, or other student activity, the student agrees to complete the assigned training by no later than the 12th class day and they acknowledge that they will not be allowed to participate in the laboratory/course activities after the 18th class day if the training has not been completed (Note: Due to the compressed summer course schedules, the requirement is to complete the required training by the 5th class day and students not completing the training will not be allowed to participate in the laboratory/course activities after the 10th class day.)

Student completion is verified on the 1st class day, and a list of students with outstanding training are compiled and sent to the instructor/staff of record each class day. On the 5th class day, instructor, department head, and dean are contacted by AR-EHS to determine the reason for the student’s outstanding status (i.e. dropped class, not attending class, has not taken the test). AR-EHS will also start making phone calls to the students. On the 13th class day, AR-EHS will begin taking appropriate action by locating students according to their course schedule.

Documentation of both trainings will be pulled from Train Traq and WTClass and kept in the AR-EHS Office. Much appreciation to Dr. Gary Barbee and the many faculty who have helped create and refine both training modules.

Please contact Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety if you have questions at 806.651.2740 or AR-EHS@wtamu.edu.

General Art Safety Training

Much of what we do in art brings us into contact with hazardous materials and processes, as well as tools and equipment that need proper safety procedures. Don’t be alarmed—be aware. This safety guide provides basic information on the primary hazards associated with different artistic mediums along with the safe use of tools and equipment.

This information is not meant to discourage you from practicing your art! Instead, it is meant to make you a wiser and healthier art practitioner—all that you have to do is 1) read this information, 2) know what you’re dealing with before you start working in an area where hazardous materials or processes are used and 3) follow the recommended precautions.

Improper use of equipment, poor work practices, inappropriate handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials can have dire consequences on your health and safety.

WTAMU employees (including research assistants) can complete additional training General Art Safety - WTAMU on TrainTraq. The course ID number 2112036.   Please go to HRConnect at https://sso.tamus.edu/ to complete this training.

Please contact Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety if you have questions at 806.651.2740 or AR-EHS@wtamu.edu.

Other Training

In accordance with Texas A&M System Regulation 33.05.02, all Texas A&M employees are required to take select training courses.

Employees and students may also be required to take additional training based on their research or job responsibilities.

WTAMU employees (including research assistants) can complete any of the additional training listed below by signing into HRConnect at https://sso.tamus.edu/:

Course Number and Course Title

WTAMU students can request access to complete the following training modules in WTClass by contacting Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety if you have questions at 806.651.2740 or AR-EHS@wtamu.edu.

• Student Laboratory Safety Training
• Student Ag Safety Training
• Student General Art Safety Training
• Student General Theatre Safety Training

Please contact Academic and Research Environmental Health and Safety at 806.651.2740 or rcsmith@wtamu.edu for further information or email the AR-EHS office at AR-EHS@wtamu.edu.