GGUUIIDDEE AANNDD RREEGGUULLAATTIIOONNSS FFOORR TTHHEE FFEELLLLOOWWSS OOFF TTHHEE IINNTTEERRNNAATTIIOONNAALL TTRRAAIINNIINNGG CCOOUURRSSEE

BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTRE HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

H-6726 Szeged, Temesvári krt. 62. HUNGARY

22001133

CONTENTS

Information about the accessibility of the BRC ....................................................................... 4

Arrangement of the main buildings of the BRC ........................................................... 4

Location of the institutes, offices and serving units of common interest ..................... 4

Admission and service hours in the BRC ..................................................................... 6

General information and rules during the course ..................................................................... 7

Practical hints and regulations to be observed ............................................................. 7

Medical care of the fellows of the ITC ......................................................................... 8

Rules for the tenants of the ITC guesthouse ................................................................. 9

Specific rules .................................................................................................... 9

Common sense rules ....................................................................................... 10

Appendix ................................................................................................................................ 11

Fire safety regulations in the BRC ......................................................................................... 12

General instructions .................................................................................................... 12

Fire alarm ................................................................................................................... 12

Miscellaneous instructions ......................................................................................... 13

Laboratory safety regulations in the BRC .............................................................................. 14

Liabilities of the Employer ......................................................................................... 14

Liabilities of the Employee ........................................................................................ 14

General aspects ............................................................................................... 14

Special aspects and conditions ....................................................................... 15

Use of autoclaves and pressure cookers ............................................. 15

Protective clothing .............................................................................. 15

Electricity ............................................................................................ 16

Radioactivity and ionizing radiation ................................................... 16

Microorganisms .................................................................................. 17

Chemical safety ................................................................................... 17

Disposal of sharps ............................................................................... 19

Office and library safety regulations in the BRC ................................................................... 20

Information form the Generali-Providencia insurance company about

the terms and conditions of “Studium” accident and health insurance

with cost reimbursement ............................................................................................ 21

Declaration on handling of intellectual property of the BRC ................................................ 27

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SUMMER

SPRING WINTER

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE BRC The Biological Research Center (BRC) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences is located at “Újszeged” on the main transit route (motorway No. 43) to Romania (see Figs. 1 and 3). Újszeged is the name of the east part of Szeged, which is split by the river Tisza to western and eastern segments (Fig. 3). The street address of BRC, which is requested by the courier services and also used for shipping goods, is Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary. The regular mail is delivered through mail boxes rented by the BRC at the main post office of Szeged with the zip code of H-6701. The actual P.O Box numbers, which are different for the four institutes of the BRC, are available at the secretaries of the institutes. Arrangement of the main buildings in the BRC The layout of the separate buildings of the BRC is shown in Fig. 2. The primary structure of the Center is the so called laboratory building, which actually consists of three 7-storey pieces, arranged in a “T”-shape: the East wing, the West wing and the “isotope” wing (Fig. 2). The floors can be accessed either by a staircase, or by an elevator, both are located at the joint of the “T”. The laboratory building can be entered through the main lobby, situated in the administrative building block, as shown in Fig. 2. At the street level, several additional one-storey auxiliary buildings are attached to the laboratory building, which accommodate the mechanical workshop, the receiving dock with the store-house, and the green houses. Behind the laboratory building a large area for parking cars is available. Bicycles can be stored in a secured open air facility between the laboratory- and the administrative building. Location of the institutes, offices and serving units of common interest As you enter through the main entrance (Fig. 2), you arrive at the main lobby. First, on the left side you find the reception desk. On the same side, next to the porter’s lodge, you see the front door to the library and a staircase leading to the administrative offices including the office and the secretary of the Director General, and the offices of the Financial Director, ITC secretariat, Human Resources, Housekeeping, Purchasing Department, and Grant Administration, which all can be found on the first floor. On the second floor, a small conference room called “Club” is situated. Still on the same side of the main lobby, a passage leading to the Digital Photo Laboratory and the entrance of the Cafeteria is located. At the right side of the lobby, you find the entrances of the main lecture hall. On your way to the laboratory building, at your right, you pass a small snack-bar. As a general rule, with some exceptions, the institutes are situated in 3-3 floors either in the east- or the west wing of the laboratory building. The first 3 floor of the East wing belong to the Institute of Plant Biology, above which the Institute of Genetics is situated. In the West wing, the lower 3 floors belong to the Institute of Biophysics, while the Institute of Biochemistry fits in the floors No. 4-6. Commonly, the seminar rooms of the institutes, as well as the secretaries and the offices of the directors are situated on floor No. 3 in the corresponding wing. The laboratories in the “isotope” wing are either allocated to the institutes, or serve as core facilities providing service to all of the research groups of the BRC. On the top floor of the building the Animal House and the offices of the Computer System Administrators are located. Some research groups and laboratories of the core facility with heavy/large instrumentation are situated in the basement of the laboratory building.

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Fig.1: Aerial view of the BRC. Next to the buildings of the BRC, the main transit route to Romania is clearly visible. At the right side, the Sport’s Arena of the city can be seen.

Fig. 2: Arrangement of the main buildings is shown in a model of the BRC. The main laboratory building consists of 3 parts, surrounded by auxiliary buildings providing room for the central offices, the library, conference rooms, machine workshops, the receiving dock, etc.

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Admission and service hours in the BRC The BRC is accessible all the time. At the main entrance, a 24/7 reception service works where anyone having no BRC code card entering or leaving the building have to report. New employees and students will receive their personal code-card, which operates the automatic doors/gates, after signing the appropriate documents.

Fig. 3: A section of the street map of Szeged illustrating the locations of BRC (A) and the “ITC-house” (B), where the fellows get their accommodation. At the lower right corner of the figure you find a district, named Újszeged, which is separated from the other parts of Szeged by the river Tisza. Újszeged is directly connected to the city center by the bridge named “Belvárosi”. The city center is at about 10-15 minutes walking distance from the BRC.

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Due to the nature of the experimental work, the access to the laboratories is not restricted in time. However, several services are available only in limited hours. As a main rule, the common working hours of those employees who do not work in a flexible schedule, is from 8:00 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Thus, all the central offices (office of the ITC, Human Resources, Housekeeping, etc.) are open just in this period, furthermore, secretarial and administrative services at the institutes can also be obtained in these hours only. Similarly, although the library is open all the time, librarian help is availably only in the common working time. The mechanical workshop, the receiving dock and the store-house operates from 6:00 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Important to know, that while the research fellows, including the students may accommodate their working time according to the need of their experiments, the working hours of the laboratory assistants is fixed from 8:00 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. The open hours of the cafeteria are from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The snack-bar opens at 6:00 a.m. and closes at 4:00 p.m. GENERAL INFORMATION AND RULES DURING THE COURSE Detailed information about the actual academic year is available on the website of the BRC dedicated to the ITC (http://www.brc.hu/international_training.php). Regarding the course information, this web page will be regularly updated, furthermore, the ITC fellows will be notified by e-mail about some additional activity or in urgent cases. Thus, students are expected to regularly check this website and provide the ITC management with their current e-mail address. Practical hints and regulations to be observed The duration of the ITC course is 11 months (from October 1, current year, till August 31, next year) with no possibility of any extension. If a fellow is planning to continue his/her stay as a Ph.D. student affiliated with a research group of the BRC, or is planning to stay as a contracted employee in the BRC, he/she should inform the management of the ITC in advance, not later than 4 months before the termination of the course. ITC fellows have an annual (paid) leave of 10 working days. In special cases (e.g. health problems, serious illness, death in the family, etc.) there is a possibility for an extended leave after getting permission from the fellow’s supervisor and the director of the institute. Leaving without such permission is considered as an unjustified absence, and the stipend of the fellow will be temporarily suspended. In case of longer unjustified absence, the fellowship of the fellow will be terminated. In case of administrative problems with documents such as residence permit, medical insurance, tax cards etc., ITC fellows could get help from the secretary of the ITC (Tímea Varga, phone extension # 772). However, please observe the following common sense rules:

For foreign citizens the passport is the ID, thus should be carried all the time. Lost passports should be reported at the local police immediately. Observe the expiration date of your visa/residence permit. An extension should be

requested at the local Immigration Office 30 days before it expires. In case of leaving the country for an extended period (more than 30 days) the local

police should be informed and the address of the new residence must be provided.

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All biological materials as well as derivatives and progeny thereof, used in research at the BRC are subject to appropriate intellectual property rights or intellectual property agreements with the BRC and/or with other parties. If the fellows plan to use such material outside of the BRC or in activity not related to their supervised research, a signed permission from the supervisor and the director of the institute is required. Students are requested to attend the lectures and the practical demonstrations organized by the management of the ITC for the participants of the course. After each talk signature sheets have to be signed. By the end the lecture courses, written exams have to be passed. Students will accomplish their own research projects during their stay, which is formulated together with their scientific supervisors during the first weeks of the course. Fellows are requested to follow the advice of their supervisors throughout their training. It’s the supervisor’s duty to inform the student about the general and specific rules in the host laboratory and in the connected work area. Students are obliged to comply with all the safety regulations (see also the appendices). In case of personal problems in the host research group or troubles with the fellow’s supervisor (such as harassment, negligent guidance, etc.), students should directly ask the help of the director of the institute. Medical care of the fellows of the ITC Students of the ITC will be covered by the “Studium” program of the insurance company named “Generali-Providencia” for accidents and health insurance with cost reimbursement (for the details and conditions, see the appendices). Of course, any further insurance could be arranged by the fellows at own cost. Please note, in case of medical emergency, the Ambulance Service should be dialed (phone # 104), which call is free of charge from any phone boxes. In case of a no life threatening sickness (except for dental problems) a doctor at the Department of Family Medicine should be visited first, who is the family practitioner at the service of the students of the ITC. The Hungarian name of his outpatient clinic is “Családorvosi Intézet”, which is located in a yellow wooden building in the campus called “Clinical Garden” of the Medical School of Szeged. The opening hours are: Monday: 13:00-14:00, Tuesday: 11:00-12:00, Wednesday: 13:00-14:00, Thursday: 11:00.-12:00, Friday: 11:00.-12:00. The phone numbers of the clinic are: 545-550, 545-553, which should be called prior to the visit, since the service hours might be changing. During weekends, the ambulatory service of the 1st Department of Internal Medicine of the Medical School (Korányi fasor 8, phone numbers: 545-185, 545-186 and 545-813) should be visited where suitable medical treatment could be obtained. In case of dental problems, the service of the Dental Clinic of the Medical School of Szeged is recommended, located at “Tisza Lajos körút 64”, behind the shopping mall named “Szeged Nagyáruház” in the city center. The insurance program of the ITC students does not cover the expenses of dental treatments, i.e. no reimbursement will be made unless the Clinic affirms that emergency service was provided and declares it on the issued bill, as well, by printing the Hungarian equivalent words, that “sürgősségi ellátás” was necessary.

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If specific or follow up examinations are needed after the first visit at the Department of Family Medicine, the doctor will refer the patient to further medical examinations to specialized ambulance services or hospital departments. The fee of these medical examinations must be paid by the fellows, which will be reimbursed if the appropriate receipts are presented to the Secretariat of the ITC. Alternatively, the bills could be submitted directly to Andrea Lehoczky Balog (Foreign Students’ Secretariat, Dóm tér 12, phone number: 545-458) who will arrange the reimbursement. If hospitalization is needed, the insurance covers all the costs. In case of either prescribed or not prescribed medicines are needed, the general rule is that the 50% of the bills will be reimbursed. However, in each case, the bills have to be checked and stamped by the Department of Family Medicine. These approved bills should be submitted to the secretary of the ITC, or directly to Andrea Lehoczky Balog. Rules for the tenants of the ITC guesthouse The BRC provides free accommodation for the fellows of the ITC in a guesthouse, an apartment building with furnished apartments of 2-3 bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen. BRC takes care of the regular cleaning of the flats, as well. ITC fellows are expected to share apartments but will be provided with a private room. Although this accommodation is free, the fellows are responsible for intentional damage or misuse: the ITC fellows should pay the expenses of the repairs. If the fellow doesn’t take the responsibility for the damage, the supervisor and the research group should pay the expenses of the repair. BRC cannot offer accommodation to married couples in the ITC house. By the end of August all residents must leave the apartments to allow time for the necessary cleaning and renovation before the next academic years starts. Specific rules: Basically, only the participants of the ITC are allowed to live in the ITC guesthouse. If there

is a vacancy, those who participate in Ph.D. programs affiliated with research groups of the BRC, or those, who have a contract with the BRC, could also be accommodated.

Guests (relatives or close friends only) are allowed to stay in the ITC house, however, only for a limited time (maximum 1 week) and only with the permission of the room-mates. In addition, fellows must inform the managements of the ITC about the arrival of the guests in advance. Foreign guests have to fill a form with personal data (available at the secretary of the ITC), which is required by the local Immigration Office. In case of an unexpected visitor, a notice should be given on the first weekday after the arrival of the guest. Important: breaking this rule, (i.e. the visitor stays in the apartment without a prior permission, and consultation with the management of the ITC) will result in expelling the tenant from the guesthouse and terminating his/her fellowship. Fellows are requested to report such cases, furthermore, the cleaning personnel have also an obligation to inform the management of the ITC about the visitors in the house.

Two to three ITC fellows will be accommodated in the apartments of the building. Moving into another apartment during the course is allowed only if appropriately justified, and only after getting an approval from the Secretariat of the ITC.

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Upon prior notice, representatives of the BRC may be inspecting the apartments in the ITC guesthouse.

Although BRC hires a person for cleaning the apartments, it is the tenants’ duty to keep order among their personal things. Moving furniture, TV set from one room or apartment to another room or apartment in the house in allowed only with the permission of the management of the ITC.

In case of any technical problems (including fire, burglary, accident) the cleaning lady working in the building or the Housekeeping of the BRC (phone: 599-740 or 599-739) should be noticed. After working hours as well as during holidays the reception desk of the BRC (phone: 599-558, 599-600) should be informed. In case of fire, call the Fire brigade (phone # 105) immediately, as well.

Common sense rules: Electric appliances, gas stove and all water-taps should be turned off before leaving the

apartments. Fire regulations in the ITC guesthouse must be observed:

only standard lighting and electric appliances should be used smoking in the bed or putting burning cigarettes on the furniture is not allowed use of heaters and coffee makers in the bedroom is not permitted. Only supervised use

of these electric appliances is allowed and only in the kitchen. Burglaries might be prevented by keeping the main entrance door of the building, and the

doors of the apartments closed and locked all the time. Duplication of the keys of the doors of the building and those of the apartments, as well as

handing them to non-residents is prohibited. If a second key is needed, Housekeeping will provide one.

Use the storage room for bicycles in the building do not bring them upstairs into the apartments.

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APPENDIX FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS IN THE BRC LABORATORY SAFETY REGULATIONS IN THE BRC OFFICE AND LIBRARY SAFETY REGULATIONS IN THE BRC INFORMATION FORM THE GENERALI-PROVIDENCIA INSURANCE COMPANY ABOUT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF “STUDIUM” ACCIDENT AND HEALTH INSURANCE WITH COST REIMBURSEMENT DECLARATION ON HANDLING OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF THE BRC

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FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS IN THE BRC General instructions Prior to starting work on his/her job, every newly employed person joining the BRC is obliged to report first to the Fire Safety Officer (at Housekeeping) for fire prevention instruction and to the Safety Compliance Officer of the Institute he/she will be employed as well as to his/her direct supervisor for receiving general instructions and to get acquainted with the local specialties. All BRC personnel are obliged to attend regular update lectures about fire prevention once a year. All BRC personnel are obliged to report to their supervisors and/or fire prevention officials all the conditions representing a direct fire hazard. In case of fire, the employee first discovering the fire should immediately sound the alarm, act in accordance with the fire emergency plan and participate in extinguishing the fire. All BRC personnel should learn how to operate the fire extinguishers currently available in BRC, which are:

6 kg fire extinguisher: 2 kg carbon dioxide extinguisher: 1. pull the safety pin, 1. aim the nozzle at the fire, 2. aim the nozzle at the fire, 2. slowly turn the release wheel 3. press the handle.

Fire-alarm The employee first discovering a fire must raise the alarm IMMEDIATELY: by activating i.e. by breaking the glass unit at a fire alarm station, by shouting “fire” to notify those working nearby, by calling the reception desk (extension 558) and informing the receptionist about the

location of the fire, the objects/materials burning and whether there have been injuries.

All personnel present in BRC are obliged to participate in extinguishing a fire. The location of the fire may be left only if the fire has been completely extinguished so that may not flare up again, or if the officers of the Fire Brigade instruct accordingly. A fire successfully extinguished also has to be reported to the Fire Safety Officer (Housekeeping) or the Safety Compliance Officer. Instructions for people not directly involved in extinguishing the fire: In the event of a fire alarm: close all doors exit immediately using the corridors and stairs DO NOT USE THE ELEVATOR! do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so.

Miscellaneous instructions

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If a person’s clothing is on fire, wrap a fire blanket, rug, coat or similar objects closely

around him/her and lay him/her on the ground to prevent flames reaching the head. If electric appliances are involved, if possible switch off the electricity before dealing

with the fire. Instruments under electricity must not be touched with wet hands. Do not use water

based extinguishers. The route leading to the fire hydrants and the fire extinguishers must never be

blocked. Fire hydrants and fire extinguishers must not be removed from their assigned locations

or used for purposes other than proper use. In research laboratories, gas taps currently not used must be shut off. When lighting

the gas, the main tap should be opened first, followed by opening the tap on the gas burner. Gas cylinders are color coded for easy identification: acetylene yellow oxygen blue compressed air purple nitrogen green hydrogen and other flammable gases red carbon dioxide and other non-flammable gases grey

In general, smoking in BRC in prohibited, except for designated smoking areas. Flammable liquids must not be left uncovered or kept in unstoppered bottles or containers. When leaving off work, the working area should be left clean and tidy. General and practical fire prevention training of foreign and guest scientists working in BRC is the responsibility of the Institute where they are going to work.

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LABORATORY SAFETY REGULATIONS IN THE BRC The duty of the employer (BRC) is to provide, as much as possible, a safe working environment for its employers and provide information, instructions, training and supervision to avoid any hazard and prevent injury. The employee has a duty to carry out his/her work in such a way not to endanger either himself/herself or any coworkers, and to cooperate with the employer to enable him to comply with any duty or requirements of health and safety legislation. Despite the precautions, accidents may happen which, no matter how trivial, should be reported at once to the supervisor and the group leader. Do not believe that an accident/incident is too small to report. Give full details and ensure that the accident is properly recorded. “Near misses” should be also reported, so that future accidents can be avoided. Report any potential risk to the supervisor or a member of the Safety Committee. Report any suspicions occurrence e.g. unauthorized person, unexplained objects or

packages, to your supervisor or a member of the Safety Committee. Liabilities of the Employer Publication of Safety Rules

Safety rules comprise all regulations aiming at the protection of workers’ health and safety in the course of work

Safety inspection once a year Introduce all employees to the safety regulations at the time of joining the BRC, then

update them once a year Provide compulsory medical check-up for new employees at the time of joining BRC

and, subsequently, as often as required Provide workers with protective devices, protective beverage, clothing and work-

clothes, as necessary Arrangement of cleaning the work area and servicing tools and equipments.

Liabilities of the Employee General aspects: Throughout the institutes of the BRC some rooms are designated and clearly labeled as ‘LABORATORY AREAS’. You are not permitted to smoke, eat and drink in the laboratories, furthermore you are not allowed to bring food and drinks into these areas, any found will be removed. Refrigerators for storing food and drinks are provided in a separate area. Label food and drinks with your name. Ensure that food is not left to get spoiled. A good laboratory practice should be: do not start working without proper planning and preparation.

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Adequate instruction should be given by the group leader or group technician on the use of all equipments involved. If the knowledge is not available within the group, help should be obtained from other experienced users or the manufacturers of the equipment. Working alone, either after hours or in isolated areas of the department, when/where assistance might not be available, could be hazardous. It is a sensible precaution to avoid working in the department outside normal hours unless the nature of your work makes this necessary. When you are working in isolated areas or out of hours, the following precautions should always be taken: Work not involving special hazards – (e.g. reading, writing, routine observations,

maintaining cultures, etc.,) inform someone in other laboratories or at home about which laboratory are you working and when you are expected to finish. Keep to your agreed time of return or ring to say you have left early or will be leaving late.

Work involving special hazards – (e.g. lasers, strong acids or alkalis, poisons, drugs, high voltage supplies with low source impedance, etc.) Such work must not be undertaken unless prior arrangements have been made for at least one colleague, familiar with emergency procedures, to be within hailing distance.

Security – Lock all the doors of your working area when you are leaving. Special aspects and conditions: Use of autoclaves and pressure cookers

These appliances have a significant intrinsic risk, which should be adequately controlled and minimized, e.g. by wearing appropriate clothing, shoes and face protection.

Protective clothing

Suitable clothing should be worn always in the Laboratory Areas. Outdoor clothes must not be taken into the laboratories

Laboratory coats should be provided by the department, and must be worn, properly buttoned up, at all times while working in the laboratory. For certain laboratory procedures it is necessary to wear protective gowns with side or back fastening. This is required when working with genetically manipulated organisms. These protective gowns must not be worn outside the designated areas and must be autoclaved before being sent to the laundry.

Gloves – Disposable safety gloves must be worn when handling any potentially toxic chemicals, radioactive materials and pathogens. To prevent contamination of doors, etc. when moving materials from one laboratory to another, gloves must be removed and properly disposed. Fresh gloves should be used in the new location. Dermatitis may develop due to continuous use of disposable safety gloves – use of barrier cream may help. Latex can also act as a respiratory allergen and users should be aware of this risk.

Safety glasses and visors – Safety spectacles or visors should be worn when carrying out procedures where there may be a risk of eye injury, e.g. when removing liquids from an autoclave, or when dispensing acids, alkalis or liquid nitrogen. U.V. safety

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visors are provided for use with trans-illuminators. Regular safety visors do not provide adequate protection against U.V. light.

Footwear – It is important to use appropriate footwear, which gives adequate protection for the work being carried out. This is particularly important when moving heavy equipment, etc.

Electricity

All electrical equipment will be inspected annually and tested for insulation, and resistance and grounding.

Do not use faulty equipment, e.g. worn cables, damaged plugs or sockets, etc. Do not use multi-adaptors. The correct fusing of equipment is essential. If the fuse blows check the equipment

and report if necessary. Never replace with a higher amperage fuse. No equipment with electric motors should be used in the vicinity of flammable or

explosive materials.

Radioactivity and ionizing radiations All users of radioactive materials must be registered before they commence work. It is the responsibility of each person working with radioisotopes to be fully familiar with all the steps of the procedures regarding the use and disposal of such materials as well as monitoring of the environment and equipment. Supervisors must ensure that members of their group, including research students and undergraduates, receive adequate training and instruction before beginning experiments with radioactive chemicals.

General rules: Radiochemicals must be stored in suitable shielded containers in lockable

refrigerators or freezers. These must be clearly labeled. Rooms where radioactive material is stored must be identified by the

appropriate sign on the door including the list of the stored isotopes. The practice of mouth pipetting presents an unacceptable hazard. Pipetting aids

must be used instead. Mouth pipetting of radioactive materials is especially prohibited.

The name of the radioactive compound, its total activity and specific activity, the date of use and the name of the user should always be indicated on the container.

Spend the shortest possible time working with dangerous substances. Volatile materials should be handled in fume hoods and gases in closed

apparatuses. After finishing a radioactive work, both workers and work area should be

checked for contamination.

Emergency Procedures In the event of spillage of a large quantity of radioisotope e.g. breakage of the entire source or vial, follow this procedure: Alert any other workers in the immediate vicinity who are not contaminated; if

possible they should leave the area, which should then be quarantined. Remove any contaminated clothing as quickly as possible and leave it at the

site of the incident. The radiation protection official must be informed immediately.

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Contaminated personnel should be treated first. Skin should be washed with plenty of running water and gentle rubbing with a soapy solution. Do not abrade the skin. Any wounds should be irrigated with plenty of running water. Monitor to check decontamination.

Once contaminated individuals have been treated, the affected area should be decontaminated next.

Radioactive waste (also other dangerous waste) should be collected separately and all the relevant data (quality, date, amount, user) should be clearly indicated on the containers. Each worker is responsible for decontaminating glassware before it is returned to the general washing up rooms.

Microorganisms

As a result of a number of laboratory-acquired infections there is some legislation that covers the storage and handling of microorganisms. The major concern is the pathogenecity of the microorganisms towards the human workforce. Harmless bacteria require little containment whereas pathogens require strict physical containment. Employees working with microorganisms should be familiar with the protocols for safe handling and disposal of the microorganisms. The appropriate safety clothing must be worn. Unauthorized people must not enter these laboratories.

Disposal of microbiological waste – Glassware that has been contaminated with microbial products must be autoclaved before returning to the glassware washing facility. Contaminated plastic is placed in special bags and autoclaved before disposal. All material for autoclaving must be clearly labeled with the laboratory of origin (room number).

Chemical Safety

Almost all chemicals are hazardous and this must be respected when handling them and disposing of any waste. It is the employee’s responsibility to protect himself/herself, the colleagues and their local environment. All suppliers of laboratory chemicals will provide material safety data sheets (MSDS), which fully document the hazards, safe handling procedures and the disposal. They also list the procedures to be used if there is an accidental spillage. It is a good practice to display the list of chemicals held in the laboratory near the entrance, thus in case of fire, or other accidents, the rescue team may quickly get important and useful information. Any spillage must be reported as a “near accident”, or in case of body contact as an accident. Employees must be aware of the correct procedure when dealing with any chemical spillage or splash. It’s his/her responsibility to appropriately clean any spilled chemicals to ensure that it presents no hazard to other colleagues.

Inflammable liquids Bulk quantities should be stored in safety cabinets. These cabinets should not be placed near the exit of the laboratory. It is a hazard to store inflammable liquids in a refrigerator, which has not been properly modified. All refrigerators in the department are clearly labeled to indicate whether they are suitable for the storage of inflammable liquids.

Drugs and poisons It is required to keep certain drugs and poisons in locked cabinets. The amounts taken out should be carefully registered.

Fume hoods Fume hoods must not be used as storage cupboards. They must be routinely checked for adequate airflow (0.5 m.s-1).

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Compressed Gases should be stored away from working area and from heat sources (including sunny windows).

Care and work with cylinders Know the contents of the cylinder and the properties of the gas. Handle cylinders carefully and transport them on a cylinder trolley. Wear

appropriate protective clothing, e.g. gloves, footwear, eye and head protection. Fasten cylinders when in use, storage and transit. Always use a regulator. Make sure the thread of the regulator and cylinder are free from grit before

fitting. Never use oil or grease on the threads of a regulator. Never hammer or over-tighten a regulator. Check for leaks by applying soapy water around the seal. Close valves when not in use and remove regulators when in transit. Close valves on empty cylinders and mark them “EMPTY”.

Cryogenic liquids (liquefied gases) Always keep liquefied gas cylinders in an upright position. Do not dispense liquid nitrogen from the main storage tank without proper

instruction. All cryogenic liquids can cause cold burns. As these liquids evaporate they

create large volumes of gas, which can cause asphyxiation and they should, therefore, always be used and disposed of in well-ventilated places. Never travel in the elevator with liquid nitrogen.

Cryogenic liquids should be used only in specifically designed containers, which can withstand sudden extreme changes of temperature. Stoppers should always be vented and kept free of ice, which may block them.

When using cryogenic liquids, wear a laboratory coat and eye protection (goggles) adequate shoes (not sandals), face/eye protection and gloves. Leather gloves are ideal for handling cold objects, but care should be taken to prevent them contacting the cryogen. 'Cryogenic' gloves are preferable, but only tongs should be used to withdraw objects from cold liquids.

Always dispense cryogenic liquids slowly, give time for the vessels to cool before filling them completely.

Disposal of chemical waste Packaging of ethidium bromide waste: ethidium bromide contaminated solid waste e.g. gels, gloves, tissues etc., can be stored in plastic buckets. Any buffer used for gel running, which may contain ethidium bromide even in very small amounts must be saved in a suitable container and collected for disposal. Under no circumstances can this buffer be poured down the sinks. Packaging of organic waste: organic waste can be stored in glass bottles. The bottles must not be completely filled to allow for expansion of the liquid e.g. a 2,5-litre bottle should contain no more than 2 liters of solvent. Phenol/chloroform contaminated plastics should be packaged in plastic bags or containers, not in autoclave bags.

Labeling of chemical waste Any container kept for chemical waste must be clearly labeled. Organic waste should be labeled in such a way that the main ingredient should be marked on the bottle. Chemical waste for disposal must not be stored in the laboratories.

Disposal of Sharps

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Disposal of sharp objects e.g. Pasteur pipettes; syringe needles, scalpel blades, etc. must not be placed in the general waste bins. Sharps must be disposed of as follows: Sharps contaminated with a radioactive substance must be treated as ‘solid

radioactive waste’ and labeled and disposed accordingly. All blades and needles together with any sharps contaminated with biological

material e.g. bacteria, viruses; blood etc. must be disposed in cardboards. Non-contaminated glass sharps should be collected separately, then can be

placed into the bulk waste bins in a safe wrapping.

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OFFICE AND LIBRARY SAFETY REGULATIONS IN THE BRC Ensure that filing cabinets are positioned so that they cannot easily be tipped over.

Only open one drawer of a filing cabinet at any one time to avoid overbalancing. Do not leave filing cabinet drawers extended.

Obtain help to move heavy items of office equipment or furniture. Use stepladders to reach high shelves, windows or tops of cupboards. Do not stand on chairs or stools to reach high places.

Ask for advice concerning storage and the use of flammable office liquids. Solvent based correction fluids can be harmful if inhaled, swallowed, splashed into eyes so they need to be handled carefully.

Treat portable heaters with special care: leave plenty of space around them. Report any faulty lighting, particularly in corridors. Lighting facilities and ventilation

should be adequate to maintain a comfortable working environment. Do not use any faulty electronic equipment or electrical switches-report all electrical

faults immediately. Do not overload electric sockets: seek advice and ask for an approved distribution panel, if necessary. Do not tamper with, or attempt to repair, electrical equipment.

Report any damage to carpets or other floor coverings, which could cause people to trip.

All electrical cables must be routed to avoid crossing gangways. Cables must be put behind desks or cable covers should be used.

Ensure that all gangways, stairways and doorways and especially fire escapes are kept free from obstacles.

Lights must be turned off whenever a room is left unoccupied. To gain access to objects located too high in the office use appropriate ladders or

quick-steps. Maintain a clean and tidy working area. When handling photocopier toner, follow the handling instructions provided by the

manufacturer.

When you finish work make sure that Electric equipment not required to operate overnight is switched off or unplugged. Windows, fire doors and smoke stop doors are closed.

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INFORMATION FORM THE GENERALI-PROVIDENCIA INSURANCE COMPANY ABOUT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF “STUDIUM”

ACCIDENT AND HEALTH INSURANCE WITH COST REIMBURSEMENT

The present Terms and conditions, if there are no contrary agreements, govern the Generali-Providencia Biztosító Rt.’s health insurance with reimbursement of expenses, provided that the insurance contract (hereinafter referred to as the Contract) has been concluded with reference to the present Terms and conditions.

Regarding the issues not provided for under the present insurance terms and conditions, the provisions of the Civil Code and the effective Hungarian rules of law shall apply.

1.§ Explanatory provisions

1.1. Sickness shall be any bodily or spiritual condition recognised as irregular pursuant to the general status of medical science. 1.2. Any sudden external impact independent of the insured’s will that result in the insured’s bodily injury shall be deemed an accident. 1.3. Medical treatment shall be a justified treatment that is, pursuant to the generally acknowledged opinion of medical science, suitable for restoring health, improving the condition, or preventing worsening of the condition, including outpatient treatment and hospital treatment. 1.4. Lying in hospital shall be hospital treatment during which the insured spend also the night at the hospital. 1.5. Outpatient treatment shall be medical treatment made necessary as a result of sickness or accident that is less than 24 hours; that is, it does not include lying in hospital. 1.6. In-patient treatment shall be medical treatment made necessary as a result of sickness or accident that includes lying in hospital. 1.7. Insurance period shall be the one-year-period starting from the day when the contract is concluded.

2.§ General provisions

2.1. The subjects of the insurance contract (the insurer, the contracting party, the insured)

2.1.1. Generali-Providencia Biztosító Rt. (hereinafter referred to as the insurer) shall take the risk against the premium determined under the contract and undertake to fulfil the obligations to provide the services defined under the present Terms and conditions. 2.1.2. The contracting party shall be the party who enters into the insurance contract, and undertakes to pay the premium. 2.1.3. The insured shall be the natural person regarding whose health-condition-related events the insurance contract is concluded. 2.1.4. When applying the present insurance contract the insured may be the person with foreign citizenship who at the time of concluding the insurance contract has become 18 years old, but has not yet become 65 years old, and shall not be covered by the protection of social insurance in Hungary.

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2.1.5. The insured may be any person not yet having become 18 years old who is not covered by the protection of social insurance in Hungary, if any of the dependants of such person shall be deemed insured pursuant to the above clause. 2.1.6. When applying the present insurance contract any person with the professions or performing the activities described below shall not be deemed insured: stuntmen, circus acrobats, test pilots, parachutists, individuals belonging to the staff of jets in the army, bodyguards, commandos, legionnaires, peacekeeping soldiers, intelligence agents, armed guards, money transporters, persons fulfilling either professional or military service in the army who perform activity while being exposed to increased danger (e.g., bomb-disposal experts or divers).

2.2. The conclusion of the contract

2.2.1. The contract is concluded on the grounds of the agreement between the contracting party and the insurer, which is signed by the contracting party and the insurance company. 2.2.2. The insured’s statement shall be the document which contain the insured’s dispositions in particular the insured’s approving statement regarding the conclusion of the contract, the waiver of the obligation of secrecy regarding authorities and institutions, and the assignment of his right to insurance service. The insured statement constitutes a part of the contract. 2.2.3. The insurer is entitled before concluding the contract to collect an advance fee equal to the first premium of the insurance or its non-recurrent premium, which it handles as an advance payment free of any interest. When the contract has been concluded, the insurer sets off the advance payment against the premium. Provided that the contract has not been concluded, the insurer shall reimburse the advance payment to the contracting party. 2.2.4. Prior to concluding the contract the insurer may perform risk assessment and may request the insured to provide a medical history or medical examination or other written statement. The insurer is entitled to review the data it thus becomes aware of. 2.2.5. Any and all circumstances described in the medical history or other written statement regarding which the insurer has asked any question shall be made known to the insurer, fully and truthfully.

2.3. The coming into effect of the contract, the commencement of risk taking

2.3.1. The insurer may set forth a waiting period under the contract, the term of which shall be maximum 6 months from the date the contract comes into effect. The term of the waiting period, if the insurance enforces any, shall be determined in the additional clause under the contract and/or the policy. The insurer’s risk taking during the waiting period is partial, covers exclusively accidents, or events causally related to such accidents. 2.3.2. The insurer’s risk taking regarding the insured shall commence on the date the insurance contract regarding the insured comes into effect, taking into consideration the waiting period, if it is set forth by the insurer under the contract and/or the policy, provided that the premium has been transferred to the insurer’s account, or from a date determined under the contract, if the parties have agreed in delaying the payment of the premium.

2.4. The termination of the contract

2.4.1. The contract shall terminate with regard to the given insured: a) at the date determined under the contract, or

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b) in the event of failure to pay the premium, once 30 days have elapsed from the date the first failed premium payment is due, or c) in the event of the insured’s death, or d) by notice. 2.4.2. The contract shall not be terminated unless in writing and as of the end of the year of insurance, provided that the term of the insurance is indefinite. If the term of the insurance is definite, then the contract may be terminated in writing and as of the end of the 4th year of insurance, at the earliest. 2.4.3. The contract shall be terminated with 30 days notice.

2.5. The effect of the area of insurance

2.5.1. The insurer’s risk taking shall cover the territory of the Republic of Hungary.

2.6. The term of the insurance

2.6.1. The term of the insurance shall be determined by the parties to the contract under the insurance contract and/or the policy.

2.7. The rights and obligations of the subjects under the contract

2.7.1. The contracting party may make a proposal to modify the contract, to define a new insured, or to terminate the insurance cover with regard to the insured determined by it. 2.7.2. To conclude or modify the contract the written approval of the insured is necessary, which is granted by the insured by filling in and signing the insured’s statement. In such event, the contracting party is obliged to obtain the insured’s statement. 2.7.3. The contracting party is obliged to inform the insured persons regarding the content of the contract and any and all changes that might occur in it.

2.8. The contracting party’s and the insured’s obligation to communicate and report changes

2.8.1. The contracting party and the insured are obliged to fulfil their obligation to communicate and report changes. 2.8.2. The obligation to communicate shall be that the contracting party and the insured are obliged when making the offer to communicate any and all circumstances to the insurer that are material in view of undertaking the contract, and that it knew or must have known. By giving answers, fully and truthfully, to the questions put by the insurer in writing the parties fulfil their obligation to communicate. 2.8.3. The obligation to report changes shall be that the contracting party and the insured are obliged during the term of the insurance to report in writing changes in any essential circumstances communicated under the contract or set forth within 30 days from such changes. Essential circumstances shall be those which the insurance contract provides for, or regarding which the insurer has put any question. 2.8.4. The insurer is entitled to review the data communicated. 2.8.5. In the event of infringement of the obligation to communicate and to report changes, the insurer shall be exempt of the obligation to provide services, except when it is proved that the circumstances not communicated or not reported had been known to or must have been known by the insurer prior to the occurrence of the event.

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2.8.6. The fact that any of the events described above hold shall be proved by the party that refers to them. 2.8.7. If after the conclusion of the contract the insurer becomes aware of any material circumstances affecting the contract, then it may make a proposal, within 15 days from the date it becomes aware of such circumstances, to modify the contract, or, when it does not take the risk under the present conditions, it may terminate the contract in writing. 2.8.8. If the contracting party (the insured) does not accept the proposal to make modification, or does not reply to it within 15 days from receipt thereof, the contract shall become void regarding to given insured 30 days after communicating the proposal to modify the contract, provided that the insurer has called the insured’s attention to this legal consequence when communicating the proposal to modify.

2.9. Premium

2.9.1. With regard to the payment of the premium the insurance contract and/or policy shall apply. 2.9.2. The contracting party will fulfil its obligation to pay the premium at the time when it transfers the premium to the insurer’s account. 2.9.3. The contracting party agrees to pay the premium in one amount pursuant to the terms the premium is due regarding all the insured persons.

3.§ Cover

3.1. Events

3.1.1. An event shall be the insured’s medical treatment, determined under the present terms and conditions, made necessary during the term of insurance as a result of sickness or accident and medically justified at the designated institution specified in the policy (Health insurance card). Medical treatment at other institutes or service providers shall be reimbursed by the insurer only in case the insured’s health condition did not allow medical treatment provided or organized by the designated institution.

3.2. The insurer’s service

3.2.1. The insurer’s obligation to provide service shall cover only the outpatient service and hospital treatment (in-patient treatment) provided in Hungary. 3.2.2. The insurer shall reimburse the expenses related to the medical treatment medically necessary given to the insured, determined under the present terms and conditions, in the event that the designated institution proves that such medical treatments have been reasonably used. 3.2.3. Within the framework of the benefit limits determined under the contract and/or the policy and applying deductibles, if any, the insurer shall reimburse the expenses related to the medical treatment determined under the present Terms and conditions. 3.2.4. As part of the outpatient treatment the following items shall be reimbursed: a) basic medical treatment expenses b) the costs of special medical treatment,

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c) the physician travel expenses; that is, when a physician goes to see someone at home, its costs shall be reimbursed if the patient’s condition did not allow for the patient to visit the surgery (e.g. in case of urgency) d) the costs of separate examinations, (e.g., laboratory examination, x-ray diagnostics, ultrasound scan); which shall not be reimbursed by the insurer unless they are necessary for exploring, curing the illness. 3.2.5. As part of the in-patient treatment the insurer shall reimburse the costs of the insured’s stay and treatment at hospital. In particular, the following items shall be reimbursed: a) the cost of medical treatment pursuant to the physician’s instructions, including the necessary operations, b) nursing cost, c) the costs of medically justified abortion. 3.2.6. The insurer will reimburse the expenses of the medicines, bandages, temporary therapeutic aids into consideration taking the deductible determined under the contract and/or the policy. 3.2.7. The expenses of travelling to the physician or transport shall be reimbursed by the insurer in the event that transport to hospital (by either ambulance or taxi) takes place within the country and are medically justified. 3.2.8. The expenses of transporting the patient home when the patient’s health condition either requires or allows it, and the designated institution also recommends that the patient is transported home. Transporting home means transporting the patient to the country defined by his citizenship.

3.3. The insurer’s completion

3.3.1. The demand for service regarding the reimbursement of expenses of the health care service shall be reported to the insurer within 15 days after the date of the invoice. 3.3.2. To obtain reimbursement of expenses of the health care service, it is necessary to submit: a) the original invoices proving the payments, b) all medical documents related to the event. 3.3.3. The insurer will fulfil the demand for service, in the event the legal base holds, within 15 days from submission of all the required documents.

3.4. Exclusions

3.4.1. The following items shall not constitute the subject of an event: a) medical treatment because of pregnancy, b) medical treatment because of abortion (except for medically justified cases), c) cosmetic treatments and operations not arising from accidents, d) acquisition of spectacles, contact lenses, or hearing aids, e) dental treatments (except for acute and emergency cases and the consequences of accidents), f) rehabilitation treatments, cures, g) all forms of artificial insemination, h) treatment of illness due to the HIV virus, i) of superior level accommodation (e.g., room with one bed), j) the consequences of illnesses existing, known prior to the commencement of the insurance or earlier accidents,

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k) treatments arising from consumption of alcohol or drugs, l) acupuncture treatments and psychotherapy, m) vaccinations. 3.4.2. Furthermore, the insurer’s risk taking shall not cover the events that are caused either fully or partially by: a) pathological mental state, b) ionizing radiation, c) nuclear energy, d) war event, or anti-state crime. For the purpose of the present Terms and conditions, a war event shall be war (with or without declaration of war), frontier incidents, uprising, revolution, rebellion, anti-government coup, or attempt at coup, civil war. 3.4.3. The insurer’s risk taking shall not cover the events that are causally related to the insured’s sport activities defined below: a) motoring: car racing, motor sports, rally, motocross, competitions of driving skill, go-cart sports, auto-crash sports, motorboat sports; b) aerial sports: skydiving, gliding and soaring with motorised glider, hang-gliding and ultralight gliding, strip parachuting, hot-air ballooning; c) other: skin diving with aqualung below 40 meters, single-handed and ocean-going sailing, mountain climbing and rock climbing at degree 5 and above, mountaineering expeditions, caving, caving expeditions.

3.5. Exemption

3.5.1. The insurer shall be exempt from fulfilling the service provided that it proves that the event has been caused by the contracting party or the insured illegally, knowingly or with gross negligence. 3.5.2. The insured acts with gross negligence in particular when a) being in an intoxicated state at the time of the accident, and this fact being concurrent due to the accident. If a blood test has been made, an alcoholic state shall be blood alcohol concentration above 1.5‰ and 0.8‰ while driving, b) driving a car without a valid vehicle licence, or without a valid driver’s licence necessary for driving such vehicle and this fact being concurrent due to the accident.

4.§ Miscellaneous provisions

4.1. Legal statements, notices

4.1.1. Any and all notices to the insurer shall be submitted addressed to the insurer in writing.

4.2. Lodging a complaint

4.2.1. Complaints arising with regard to the contract shall be reported to the insurer in writing at the following address: Generali-Providencia Biztosító Rt., Customer Services Group, 1066 Budapest, Teréz krt. 42-44. 4.2.2. The insurer will inquire into the complaints reported in writing, and will inform the party lodging the complaint in writing within 30 days from receipt of the notice.

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DECLARATION ON HANDLING OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF THE BRC I acknowledge that the biological materials - including cell lines, DNA clones, etc.-

used in the laboratories of the Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of

Sciences (BRC) are the intellectual property of the BRC, and I undertake not to pass any of it,

or material derived from it even in case the biological material in question has been produced

by me while working in any of the laboratories of the BRC, to a third party without prior

written consent of the BRC.

Information obtained in BRC or provided by members of BRC shall be considered

“Confidential information” unless designated otherwise in writing by BRC. I undertake not to

disclose any confidential information to a third party.

Accepted and agreed:

………………………………. …..…………………….. (place) (date)

….………………………………………. (signature)

….………………………………………. (name in block letters)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

(permanent affiliation, please use block letters) …………………………………………………………………………………………………

(position, please use block letters)