Procedures and protocols

To ensure an ethically responsible research practice, employees and students can start research with human beings only after their research proposal has been ethically assessed.

Procedure

If you plan to do research with human subjects, you have to submit your proposal for ethical assessment. This is in principle for all intended research within the faculty of behavioural science involving humans in an indirect (i.e. file or social media research) or direct manner (i.e. experiments, surveys, interviews). You can only start the research after you gained ethical approval. The BMS ethics committee will assess whether the research proposed conforms to ethical standards. This applies to all research that is conducted by BMS staff, Phd’s, postdocs and students, regardless of where it is conducted. This means that even if the organization where you plan to do your research does not require any ethical approval, you still have to submit your research for approval of the BMS EC. If research is conducted by students or trainees, the supervising staff member bears the ultimate responsibility (because there needs to be an employment relationship with the university).

For more information, check Ethics committee BMS. Students and staff members not part of the BMS faculty should read the next section.

When to apply at the BMS faculty ethics board?

Are you a student from a BMS faculty bachelor/master program you can submit your research for ethical review to the BMS ethics committee. Also, if your supervisors are from one of the departments of faculty BMS and your educational program is not from BMS you are still allowed to submit to BMS ethics committee. Furthermore, are your supervisors from another faculty, but the educational program from BMS, then submission to BMS ethics committee is also advised. Hence, if your bachelor or master is at the faculty EEMCS (EWI), ET or TNW, with supervisors of EWI/EEMCS or ET faculty and no supervisor from BMS is involved than you need to submit your research to EEMCS/EWI Ethics Committee or the Natural Sciences And Engineering Sciences Ethics Committee when you are from ET/TNW. ITC staff and atlas students (if their supervisor is not from BMS) have to submit with ITC Ethics Committee.  

The following priority regulations are established to transparently decide which project has priority in the utilisation of lab services.

Category 1

• European And Prestigious Research Projects
• Scheduled Education

Category 2

• Contract Research
• National Research Projects
• Demonstrations

Category 3

• Other (Reschedulable) Education
• Other (Reschedulable) Research
• Testing

A maximum of 80 hours of lab support is available per project request. A research project can sign up multiple project requests. Requests for support of more than 80 hours should be filed to the lab management.

When borrowing equipment, these terms and conditions apply:

Article 1. Subject of this agreement
These terms and conditions relate to the loan of goods from the University of Twente, in particular BMS Lab, as set out in
the agreement concluded between the University of Twente on the one hand, and the borrower on the other (“goods”).

Article 2. Terms of the agreement
2.1. This agreement is concluded for a predetermined period of time.
2.2. When determining the term of the loan for use agreement, part of a day counts as a full day.

Article 3. Delivery and returning
3.1. The borrower has to collect the goods from BMS Lab and return them to BMS Lab directly after termination of the loan for use agreement unless the parties have explicitly agreed otherwise in writing.
3.2. The borrower has to return the goods to BMS Lab in the same condition and state as when they were received.
3.3 In cases BMS Lab deems necessary, the borrower can be required to follow a briefing or instruction prior to usage.1

Article 4. Inspection of the condition of the goods
4.1 The borrower is obliged to inspect the goods for defects after he has taken the goods into possession. In the event of faults, the borrower has to notify BMS Lab in writing within 24 hours of receiving the goods.

Article 5. Obligations of the borrower
The borrower is obliged:
a. To use the goods only for his/her studies/scientific purposes, not for private purposes;
b. To use the goods only in accordance with the available manual;
c. To store and maintain the goods with due care and attention;
d. Not to make any changes to the goods;
e. When the goods are transported to a location outside the University of Twente, but within Europe, to transport the goods in a properly sealed vehicle and to store the goods at a properly locked facility;
f. To ensure that the goods are at all times supervised and stored safely, as well as the data obtained, in accordance with the prevailing privacy guidelines and the guidelines of the ethical committee of the faculty where the borrower studies or works;
g. To grant persons who work for BMS Lab access to the goods at all times;
h. To lend the goods and make them available to third parties only with the prior written consent of BMS Lab;
i. To inform BMS Lab immediately in case of errors or problems with the equipment;
j. The borrower (not BMS Lab) is responsible for his/her experiment, including using sound research methods and
collecting measurement data.

Article 6. Theft and damage
6.1. The borrower must exercise due care so as to prevent damage to, theft or loss of the goods.
6.2. In the event of damage to, theft or loss of the goods, the borrower is obliged to notify BMS Lab as soon as possible, yet within 24 hours.
6.3 Furthermore, the borrower is obliged to immediately block any use of the goods (if possible) by means of the appropriate channels.
6.4 The borrower must immediately report any loss, theft or intentional damage by third parties to the police. The borrower must provide BMS Lab with a copy of that report.
6.5 The borrower will fully cooperate in submitting (any) damage claim to the insurance company.

Article 7. Liability
7.1. Prior to collecting the goods, the borrower submits a certificate of approval for the research for which the goods will be used, issued by the ethical committee of the faculty where the borrower works/studies. The borrower adheres to the stated prerequisites demanded by ethical and date storage guidelines.
7.2. BMS Lab is not liable for experiment outcomes.
7.3. BMS Lab is not liable for any injury to the borrower and any injury to third parties caused by the borrower as a direct or indirect result of the use of the goods, except in the case of intent or gross negligence on the part of BMS Lab.
7.4. When damage to, theft or loss of the goods is the result of incorrect, careless or ignorant acts by the borrower, he/she will be liable towards BMS Lab for all resulting damage.

Article 8. Termination
The agreement can be terminated by either party with immediate effect. Obligations till that point in time remain in effect. After termination of the agreement, the borrower will immediately return the goods to BMS Lab in the same condition he/she received them in.

Article 9. Changes
Changes and additions to the agreement and these conditions are valid only when agreed in writing by BMS Lab and the borrower.

The below states the hygiene procedures related to persons. For equipment, follow the disinfection procedure for the instrument. For more details, read the hygiene protocol (link). 

2 – Persons

2.1 – Postpone the study in case of flu, cold or other infection in the trial conductor or subject (V).

2.2 – Ensure good general body and clothing hygiene during the trial period (V).

2.3 – Always wear disposable gloves during the following physiological procedures:

1. cleaning/abrading the subject’s skin (V).
   b. application of electrodes (V).
   c. removal of electrodes (V).
   d. all actions related to blood, sperm or vaginal fluid (V).
   e. working with disinfectants (V).
   f. in the case of clearly visible wounds or skin irritation in the subject or experimenter (V).

2.4 – The simplest disinfection procedure is hand washing. This should be done, regardless of the use of gloves:

a – prior to physiological actions (V).
b – after physiological actions (V).
c – after using the toilet (V).
d – after sneezing, coughing or blowing the nose (use paper tissues) (V).
e – after unexpected contact with blood or other body fluids (V).

2.5 – It is preferable not to wear rings during examination (V).

2.6 – Nails should preferably be kept short and clean during the study period (V).

Damage to Vehicle Fleet BMS:

Fill in claim form/accident report: https://www.anwb.nl/binaries/content/assets/anwb/pdf/verzekeringen/schade-aangifteformulieren/europees-schade-formulier.pdf. (Dutch) or P:\BMS\fz\General-BMS\Handleidingen\Damage form.pdf (English).

After the form is filled in by both parties send it to Robert Ree (In charge of insurance issues), Marco Boevink (In charge of the vehicle fleet), the BMS Lab Secretariat and the other party involved. 

Damage to BMS Properties:

In case of damage, theft or loss to BMS properties a notification has to be made as soon as possible with a maximum of 24 hours at the BMS Lab Secretariat and Robert Ree. If it is possible the usage of the borrowed property has to be blocked. Properties of the BMS faculty which are brought home are insured for a maximum of 9100 euro per address with an own risk of 125 euro.

Someone who borrows something from the BMS Lab needs to make a notification with the police in case of loss, theft or damage done by third parties and send a copy of the declaration certificate to the BMS Lab. Damaged, stolen or lost properties need to be recovered or purchased again and those costs need to be settled by the party responsible for the damage, theft or loss.

The BMS Lab is not responsible for the outcomes of experiments with the help of BMS properties. The BMS Lab is also not responsible for injuries to the borrower or injuries to third parties caused by the borrower of BMS properties as a direct or indirect result of the use of BMS properties.

1. The borrower must exercise due care so as to prevent damage to, theft or loss of the goods.

2. In the event of damage to, theft or loss of the goods, the borrower is obliged to notify the BMS Lab as soon as possible, yet within 24 hours.

3. Furthermore, the borrower is obliged to immediately block any use of the goods (if possible) by means of the appropriate channels.

4. The borrower must immediately report any loss, theft or intentional damage by third parties to the police. The borrower must provide the BMS Lab with a copy of that report.

5. The borrower will fully cooperate in submitting (any) damage claim to the insurance company.

In case of complaints, please follow the following procedure.

First, check the loan terms and priority regulations to see if it gives an answer to your situation.

If this is not the case, contact the BMS Lab coordinator at bmslab@utwente.nl. If deemed necessary, the lab coordinator will try to find an arrangement for the situation at stake.

Should the issue persist, the BMS Lab management will make a final decision, if necessary after contacting the education programme coordinator or research chair involved.