The unit develops a transversal and integrated management in Health, Safety and Quality, in order to promote a befitting culture in i3S activities and to enhance the institute's performance while remaining cost-effective, increasing employee and client satisfaction, and facilitating continuous improvement.

Health & Safety areas aim at improving workplace health and safety programs, providing information, training, education, and managing biological, chemical, physical, radiological and environmental hazards, in such a way that all research and technical activities have the least possible impact to people's health. The Quality area aims to implement a general Quality System to promote the simplification and systematization of activities. The assays quality controls, as well as the compliance of the metrological plan, are decisive factors regarding the use of all equipment.
The HSQ Unit integrates 2 Core Areas, each of them with a Coordinator:

1. Health & Safety – Correia, Joana (jcorreia@ibmc.up.pt)

• Emergency Planning and Response [Response to emergencies (incidents with hazardous materials, accident investigations, and other health and safety issues) and development of emergency plans and procedures for a variety of hazards including fires, severe weather, infectious diseases, etc.] 
• Occupational Safety (Management and compliance with regulations/procedures and training to ensure personnel safety);
• General Laboratory, Biological, Chemical and Radiation Safety (Management of biological, chemical, physical, and radiological hazards in laboratories by reducing hazards and risks);
• Environmental Compliance [Ensuring all activities are designed and operated to minimize impact to the environment (air, chemical management and reporting, hazardous and solid wastes, oil and hazardous material management, storm water and waste water)];
• Environmental Public Health (Technical expertise, resources, training and emergency response for food safety, drinking water quality, environmental control of communicable diseases and pest control);
• Environmental Project Support and Building Renovation [Management of environmental issues affecting renovations (Air Emission Sources; Hazardous Materials Management – PCBs, Lead Paint, Asbestos; Storm Water Management; Tank Management - e.g., removal and installation)].

2. Quality – Vale, Eliana (ermv@ineb.up.pt)

• Quality System (Continuous implementation, improvement and consolidation of several tools that ensure the management and improvement of the Quality System);
• Assays Quality Control (Ensure the reproducibility of the assays and guarantee that implementation and execution are carried out according to high standards in terms of rigor and reliability);
• Equipment Metrological Plan (Establish a plan of calibration and/or periodical verification of equipment).

TEAM:
Joana Correia and Eliana Vale (Technical Coordinators) | Bruno Sarmento (Member of the Executive Board in charge)