CHAPTER 9: RESEARCH, THE LAW AND YOU
In this chapter we provide links to useful websites, exercises using these web sites and further topics for discussion. If you find other additional useful websites please let us know and we will endeavour to add them here.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this chapter is accurate it should not be taken as a definitive statement of the law, nor can responsibility be accepted for any errors or omissions.
Contents
9.2. Health and safety
W1. Web links
Who |
Where |
What |
|---|---|---|
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) |
Information about legislation and gives guidance. |
|
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) |
Information about legislation and gives guidance |
|
Her Majesty's Stationary Office (HMSO) |
Publishes all legislation including regional legislation (i.e. England, Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales). |
|
US Department of Health and Human Services |
This US site provides information about infectious diseases such as leptospirosis. |
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CABI Bioscience UK |
Safety information on microbes etc. |
|
Binas biosafety site |
Issues relating to biotechnology |
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COSHH Essentials |
Information and guidance, mainly on chemical safety |
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National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health |
Chemical safety information |
|
The physical and theoretical chemistry laboratories, Oxford University |
Chemical safety information |
W2. Use the internet to find information on the following:
- How to use a centrifuge safely
- Chemical safety information for Schiffs reagent
- The potential hazards of leptospirosis
- Working safely in the field.
W3. Risk assessments
We have included an example of a general risk assessment form which is suitable for most undergraduate work. Compare this with your departments own risk or COSHH form. How do they differ?
If your department has an appropriate risk assessment or COSHH form you should use it, if not use the one we have included. Carry out a risk assessment for your own research project. Be prepared to spend several hours on it. Finding all the information can take some time but it is very important that you do complete a risk assessment before starting any research work.
9.3. Access and sampling
W1. Web links
Who |
Where |
What |
|---|---|---|
|
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) |
Details of protected sites, data sets for some species and sites, access advice. |
|
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Environment and Heritage Service, Northern Ireland (EHNI) |
Details of protected sites, access advice. |
|
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Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) |
Information about sites, access etc |
|
|
English Nature (EN) |
Details of protected sites. |
|
Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) |
Includes summaries of UK legislation e.g. schedules for Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act, 2004 and Northern Ireland legislation. |
|
Botanical Society for the British Isles |
Plant recorders for the British Isles. Provides detailed information about species distributions. |
|
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). |
Similar to JNCC. Also provides licences for trade, movement of species protected under CITES or other legislation such as Plant Health (Great Britain) order, 1993 (as amended). |
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Her Majesty's Stationary Office (HMSO) |
Publishes all legislation including regional legislation (i.e. England, Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales). |
|
The Countryside Agency |
Information and advice about legislation |
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DG Environment |
European environmental legislation |
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Sarah Carter's European and UK legislation |
Environmental legislation site |
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The Mammal Society |
Information about all UK mammals and legislation |
|
The Bat Conservation Trust |
Information about all UK bats, bat licences and other aspects of legislation. |
W2. Use the internet to find information on the following:
Use these web sites to find the following:
- Which British bats are protected under current legislation?
- How many reptiles are included on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
- Who do you need to apply to in order to obtain permission to work in areas known to include the Great crested newt?
- What are the key points of the Plant Heath (Great Britain) order, 1993 (as amended).
9.4. Animal welfare
W1. Web links
Who |
Where |
What |
|---|---|---|
Home Office |
Details about law and licensing procedures. |
|
Her Majesty's Stationary Office (HMSO) |
Publishes all legislation including regional legislation (i.e. England, Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales). |
|
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). |
Provides licences for trade, movement of species protected under CITES or other legislation. Is taking forward Animal Welfare Bill. |
|
Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) |
Includes summaries of UK legislation e.g. schedules for Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act, 2004 and Northern Ireland legislation. |
|
Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture and Rural development |
Access and countryside management |
|
Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Dept. |
Access and countryside management. |
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Department for planning, environment and countryside |
Access and countryside management. |
W2. Use the internet to find information on the following:
- What is included in the current draft Animal Welfare bill?
- Which site provides the most useful information about the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (as amended).
W3. Your institution and animal work
Find out if your institution has an animal licence. What work does it cover? What work does it not cover?
9.5. Working with humans
W1. Web links
Who |
Where |
What |
|---|---|---|
Department of Health |
Provides information on law, consent forms, disclosure, confidentiality etc. |
|
Her Majesty's Stationary Office (HMSO) |
Publishes all legislation including regional legislation (i.e. England, Scotland, N.Ireland and Wales). |
|
UK Clinical Ethics network |
Provides information to ethics committee primarily in the Health Service. |
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Medical Research Council |
Series on ethics. |
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World Medical Association (WMA). |
General guidance on ethical issues in a medical context. |
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British Sociological Association |
http://www.britsoc.co.uk/new_site/index.php?area=equality&id=60 |
Useful guidelines on anti-sexist, anti-racist language etc |
British Psychological Society |
Similar to above |
|
British Medical Association |
Similar to above |
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Research Governance |
Ethical framework for NHS in Scotland |
|
|
Many universities have a Code of Ethics for example: Napier University |
||
Sarah Carter's European and UK legislation |
Sarah Carter's European and UK legislation |
W2. Use the internet to find information on the following:
How many web sites are identified using the key words research+ethics? Find at least one that is useful to you.
W3. Your institution and working with humans.
Find out how your department/ institution handle enquiries from undergraduates concerning any issues relating to working with humans. Is there an ethics committee? Will you need to present your research topic to this Ethics committee? If so how do you go about it? If you need to obtain a CRB Disclosure how do you go about it?
DISCUSSION TOPICS
In these web pages in Chapter 2 you designed a number of research projects. To complete this design process you need to consider the legal implications of each project.
Refer to Chapter 9 in the book and then decide which areas of legislation are most relevant to each topic. Are there any issues that are significant and may lead to a revision of the projects aim or experimental design?
Topic A: Compare the effects of the antibiotic streptomycin and oreganum essential oil on the bacteria Escherichia coli or Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Topic B: Differences in the acceptability of foods between C. nemoralis and H. aspersa.
Topic C: The effects of horse grazing on species diversity in permanent pasture on an organic farm in Worcestershire.
Topic D: Assessing the effects of perlite and humic acid as ameliorants for green compost when growing Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil).
Topic E: Find a research paper in an area that interests you. Read only the introduction and use only this as your background reading. Then 'have a go' at designing an investigation. When you have finished compare your final design with the one in the report. How do they compare? Is one better than the other? If so why?
