Research Safety Common Problems, Red Flags

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Research Safety Common Problems, Red Flags
Best Practices

• Kenneth K. Sung, MS
• Chief Research Safety Officer
• Office of Research Oversight
• Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
• Washington, DC

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PURPOSE

• To provide VA attendees with the information
  necessary to enhance research laboratory safety
  program and
• protect personnel and the surrounding
  environment from hazards associated with the use
  of biological and chemical agents.

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Topics for Review and Discuss

• Most Frequent Lab Incidents
• Safety Equipment
• Biological Safety Levels
• Standard Practices
• Bloodborne Pathogen
• Chemical Hygiene Plan
• Safety Training
• Safety Management Issues
• References

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Most Frequent Lab Incidents

• Splash/Spills
• Needle Sticks/Cuts
• Burns
• Explosions
• Mouth Pipetting
• Animal Bites/Scratches

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Types of Biosafety Cabinets

• Biological safety cabinets are used to prevent
  the escape of aerosols or droplets and to protect
  research personnel and products from airborne
  contamination.
• Class I
• Class II
• Class III

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Biological Safety Cabinets Class I

• Suitable for work with low to moderate risk
  agents
• Minimum potential hazard to lab personnel and
  environment
• Examples Bacillus subtilis, E coli k-12

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Biological Safety Cabinet Class II

• Designed to protect the worker, the general
  public and the product
• Appropriate for work with potentially infectious
  blood, tissues, and body fluids
• Examples Human influenza virus, human
  adenoviurs, Salmonella sp

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Biological Safety Cabinet Class III

• Used for high risk biological agents when
  absolute containment is required
• Appropriate for work with high risk pathogens
• Associated with serious lethal human disease
  preventive or therapeutic intervention may be
  available
• HEPA systems are tested at least annually
• Examples Brucella abortus, Mycobacterium
  tuberculosis, and HIV

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Certification

• All biological safety cabinets that are used for
  handling biohazardous agents must be certified.
• When newly installed
• After filter replacement
• After cabinet has been moved
• Annually

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Biological Safety Level (BSL)

• BSL 1 No BSC required, sink required.
• BSL 2 BSC used for aerosol/splash generating
  operation, coat, gloves, face mask required,
  waste is autoclaved.
• BSL 3 BSC used, negative airflow into lab
  decontaminated all waste exhaust air not
  recirculated.
• BSL 4 BSC 3 practices, clothing change before
  entering lab shower required for exit all
  materials are decontaminated on exit positive
  pressure personnel suit required for entry,
  separate isolate building.

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Chemical Fume Hoods

• Some lab workers refer to biosafety cabinets as
  hoods. It is important to know the difference
  between a biosafety cabinet and a chemical fume
  hood.
• Biosafety cabinets are designed to protect the
  individual and the environment from biological
  agents, and to protect the research materials
  from contamination.
• Chemical fume hoods, however, are designed solely
  to protect the individual from exposure to
  chemicals and noxious gases.
• Since chemical fume hoods are not equipped with
  HEPA filters, they must not be used for work with
  biohazardous materials.

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Centrifuges

• Hazards associated with centrifuging include
  mechanical failure (e.g., rotor failure, tube or
  bucket failure) and the creation of aerosols. To
  minimize the risk of mechanical failure,
  centrifuges must be maintained and used according
  to the manufactures instructions. Users should
  be properly trained, and operating instructions
  that include safety precautions should be
  prominently posted on the unit.

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Standard Practices I

• Access to lab is limited or restricted by the lab
  director when work with infectious agents is in
  progress
• Persons wash their hands after handling viable
  material and animals, after removing gloves, and
  before leaving lab
• Eating, drinking, smoking, handling contact
  lenses and applying cosmetics are not permitted
  in work areas

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Standard Practices II

• Mouth Pipetting is Prohibited
• Work surfaces are decontaminated daily and after
  any spill of viable material
• All cultures, stocks, and other regulated wastes
  are decontaminated before disposal by an approved
  decontamination method such as autoclaving
• An insect and rodent control program is in effect

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Standard Practices III

• BSC are used whenever there is a potential for
  aerosol/splash creation or when high
  concentrations/large volumes of infectious agents
  are used
• Personal Protective Equipment are used

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Additional Safe Tips

• Biohazard warning sign listing responsible
  laboratory personnel and infectious agents are
  posted on all laboratory access doors
• Sandals and open-toe shoes are not appropriate
  footwear in the lab
• All laboratory materials (lab coat, gloves,
  eyewear etc) remain in the laboratory unless
  properly decontaminated.

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Bloodborne Pathogens

• 29 CFR 1910.1030
• Universal Precautions
• Engineering Control
• Exposure Control
• HBV Vaccination

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Chemical Hygiene Plan(CHP)

• Chemical Hygiene Officer
• Chemical Inventory
• Material Safety Data Sheet
• Annual Update of the CHP
• Mandatory training
• Personal Protective Equipment

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Safety Training

• Training upon assignment and annually
• -Bloodborne Pathogen, HAZCOM
• Laboratory workers must receive additional
  specialized training
• - Must be agent specific training

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Safety Management Issues I

• Assign Trained Research Safety Officer
• Familiar with the VHA Directives/Handbooks,
  Federal regulations and CDC/NIH Manual/Guidelines
  (BMBL/rDNA)
• Review/Update SOPs, Manual, Procedures, and
  Risk/Vulnerability Assessment at least annually
• Review records of safety inspections, training,
  occupational injuries, and discuss at SRS for
  improvement if any.
• Ensure that BSCs are certified and HEPA filers
  are
• replaced by qualified vendors
• Waste, shipping and receiving handling

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Safety Management Issues II

• VHA Directive 2005-003, Requirements for
  Submittal and
• Approval of Biosafety Level-3 Research Laboratory
  Construction and Renovation, Jan 19, 2005.
• Information regarding the qualifications of the
  Biosafety Officer
• Ensure that CDC/NIH Biosafety in Microbiological
  and Biomedical Lab (BMBL) safety requirements are
  incorporated into design concept
• Plan and conduct a commissioning of BSL 3

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References

• VHA Handbook 1200.8,
• VHA Handbook 1200.6,
• VHA Directive 2005-003
• BMBL 4th Edition
• 29 CFR 1910.1030
• NIH Guideline for Research involving rDNA
  Molecules

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