Contacting the IJAS Scientific Review Committee (SRC) About a Safety Concern

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  1. Instructions for Contacting the SRC

  1. After reviewing all applicable IJAS Safety Rules, if a sponsor believes that a proposed project:

    • can be conducted safely, but may appear to conflict with or violate an IJAS Safety Rule;
    • may require special approval according to the safety rules;
    • involves a situation that is not clearly addressed by the IJAS Safety Rules

    The teacher sponsor must first contact the Regional Safety Chair for clarification. When contacting the Regional Safety Chair the sponsor should identify the potential rule concern and explain why the sponsor believes the project or procedure can nevertheless be conducted safely. These factors include the supervision, facilities, equipment, precautions, or modifications that would reduce or eliminate the identified risk.

  2. If the Regional Safety Chair agrees that the project may be conducted safely but requires review because of a possible rule conflict, special circumstance, sensitive topic, or issue not clearly addressed by the IJAS Safety Rules, they must instruct the sponsor to submit the project to the IJAS Scientific Review Committee (SRC) for review before the student begins the activity in question. See “Instructions for Contacting the SRC” below. Sponsors should send the information described below to the current IJAS State Safety Chair and their Region Chair and/or Regional Safety Chair.

  3. After reviewing the request, the IJAS SRC may:

    • approve the proposed procedure;
    • approve the procedure with required modifications;
    • require additional supervision, documentation, facilities, containment, equipment, or safety precautions;
    • require the student to use a different procedure; or
    • determine that the proposed activity is not permitted under IJAS rules.

  4. If modifications are required, the student must revise the procedure and submit the revised procedure for SRC review before conducting the activity.

Instructions for Contacting the SRC

The student’s sponsor must submit the request for review. Students and parents or guardians should not contact the Regional Safety Chair or State Safety Chair directly to request a project safety determination.The sponsor serves as the primary point of contact throughout the review process and is responsible for communicating the SRC’s determination and any required changes to the student and the student’s parent or guardian. Unless specifically authorized by the SRC, the student may not begin or resume the activity under review until the SRC has issued its determination. Include a copy of the approval on the board and in the paper of the project at the regional and state science fairs. Format for an SRC Request - Use this form

  • Student / Grade / School / Region / Sponsor / Project Title
  • Research question / project purpose
  • Proposed procedure
  • Safety or rule concern
  • Relevant IJAS rule/section
  • Nature and level of risk
  • Risk-reduction measures
  • Student training/experience
  • Supervision/qualifications
  • Facility and safety controls
  • PPE / containment / ventilation / shielding
  • Material handling / storage / transport / disposal and emergency procedures
  • Procedural modifications
  • Experimentation status: Not begun / Procedure not yet performed / Already performed
  • If performed: date, location, supervision, circumstances
  • Specific SRC determination or approval requested