Complaints and Appeals Policy

1. Purpose

The Editorial Board of the Bulletin of the Lviv State University of Life Safety aims to respond promptly and constructively to suggestions, concerns, and complaints related to editorial decisions, publication ethics, peer review, and published content. The journal follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics when handling complaints.

2. Where to send complaints

Suggestions or complaints should be sent to the journal’s official email address: [email protected].

3. What may be complained about

The journal may consider complaints related to the following matters (including, but not limited to):

  • editorial handling and peer-review procedures;

  • suspected breaches of academic integrity (plagiarism, data manipulation, authorship issues, etc.);

  • conflicts of interest;

  • ethical aspects of research;

  • requests for corrections or other post-publication actions regarding published content.

4. Requirements for a complaint

Complaints should be brief, clear, and provide sufficient information for assessment, including:

  • manuscript/article details (title, authors, year/issue, link or identifier where available);

  • a clear description of the concern and relevant facts;

  • supporting evidence/documents where available.

Anonymous complaints may be considered only if they contain sufficient verifiable information.

5. Timelines

The journal acknowledges receipt and aims to provide a response/outcome within 30 working days. Complex cases may require additional time; the complainant will be informed accordingly.

6. Handling procedure

  1. initial assessment (scope/responsibility; sufficiency of information);

  2. information gathering and verification (including requests for clarification where needed);

  3. decision by the Editor-in-Chief and/or Editorial Board;

  4. communication of the outcome to the complainant (subject to confidentiality constraints).

7. Impartiality and confidentiality

Individuals who are the subject of a complaint do not take part in its handling. The journal maintains confidentiality of personal data and complaint materials to the extent possible and in line with journal procedures.

8. Possible outcomes

Depending on the complaint, the journal may:

  • provide an explanation or correct a procedural error;

  • initiate additional editorial assessment or re-review;

  • initiate an academic integrity investigation;

  • apply post-publication actions (correction, expression of concern, retraction) in accordance with the “Post-publication Corrections and Retractions Policy”;

  • where appropriate, contact the authors’ institution or other competent bodies.

9. Unacceptable complaints

The Editorial Board reserves the right not to investigate complaints submitted in an offensive, threatening, or defamatory manner, including statements that may harm a person’s honor, dignity, or academic reputation.

10. Appeals on Editorial Decisions

10.1. Right to appeal.
Author(s) may submit an appeal against an editorial decision on a manuscript (including decisions made after peer review or a decision requiring major revision) if they believe that a procedural error was made during the editorial process or that a materially unfounded evaluation was provided which could have affected the decision.

10.2. Time limit.
An appeal must be submitted within 30 calendar days from the date the editorial decision is communicated to the author(s).

10.3. Requirements for an appeal.
The appeal must be clear and concise and should include:

  • the manuscript title and relevant identifier(s) / correspondence related to the decision;

  • a clear justification for the grounds of the appeal;

  • a point-by-point response to the reviewers’ comments (where the appeal concerns peer-review reports);

  • supporting evidence/materials (if available).

10.4. Appeal review procedure.
The Editor-in-Chief and/or the Editorial Board appoints an editor/board member to handle the appeal who was not involved in the initial decision-making. Where necessary, the Editorial Office may:

  • request additional clarifications from the author(s);

  • consult the original reviewers;

  • initiate additional or repeat peer review by independent reviewers.

10.5. Possible outcomes.
Following the appeal, the Editorial Office may:

  • uphold the original decision;

  • reopen the manuscript for further consideration;

  • initiate additional/repeat peer review.

10.6. Limitations.
An appeal will not be considered if it:

  • contains offensive or threatening language;

  • does not provide verifiable arguments;

  • is based solely on disagreement with a reviewer’s scientific opinion without specific substantiated grounds.

10.7. Finality.
The decision on an appeal is final within the journal’s procedures.