Health and Safety in the Laboratory

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Health and Safety in the Laboratory

• Safety in Microbiological and Biomedical Labs

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Standard Practices All Levels

• 1. Lab access limited.
• 2. Hand washing required.
• 3. No eating, drinking, smoking, handling of
  makeup or contact lenses
• 4. No pipetting by mouth.
• 5. Policies for the safe handling of sharps are
  instituted.

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Standard Practices All Levels

• 6. All procedures are performed carefully to
  minimize the creation of splashes or aerosols.
• 7. Work surfaces are decontaminated at least once
  a day and after any spill of viable material.
• 8. All cultures, stocks, and other regulated
  wastes are decontaminated
• before disposal by an approved
  decontamination method such as autoclaving.
  Materials to be decontaminated outside of the
  immediate laboratory are to be placed in a
  durable, leakproof container and closed for
  transport from the laboratory. Materials to be
  decontaminated outside of the immediate
  laboratory are packaged in accordance with
  applicable local, state, and federal regulations
  be fore removal from the facility.

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Standard Practices All Levels

• 9. A biohazard sign may be posted at the entrance
  to the
• laboratory whenever infectious agents are
  present. The
• sign may include the name of the agent(s) in
  use and the
• name and phone number of the investigator.
• 10. An insect and rodent control program is in
  effect (see
• Appendix G).

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Laboratory Biosafety Level Criteria

• Levels 1-4 in increasing level of risk

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Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1)

• Agents not known to consistently cause disease in
  healthy adult humans.
• Standard Practices are applied (see previous)
• Special Practices - none

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Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1)

• Safety Equipment (Primary Barriers)
• 1. Special containment devices or equipment such
  as a biological
• safety cabinet are generally not
  required.
• 2. It is recommended that laboratory coats,
  gowns, or uniforms be
• worn to prevent contamination or soiling
  of street clothes.
• 3. Gloves should be worn if the skin on the hands
  is broken or if a rash
• is present. Alternatives to powdered
  latex gloves should be
• available.
• 4. Protective eyewear should be worn for conduct
  of procedures in
• which splashes of microorganisms or other
  hazardous materials is
• anticipated.

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Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1)

• Laboratory Facilities (Secondary Barriers)
• 1. Laboratories should have doors for access
  control.
• 2. Each laboratory contains a sink for hand
  washing.
• 3. The laboratory is designed so that it can be
  easily
• cleaned. Carpets and rugs in laboratories are
  not
• appropriate.

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Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1)

• Laboratory Facilities (Secondary Barriers).
• 4. Bench tops are impervious to water and are
  resistant to moderate heat and the organic
  solvents, acids, alkalis, and chemicals used to
  decontaminate the work surface and equipment.
• 5. Laboratory furniture is capable of supporting
  anticipated loading and uses. Spaces between
  benches, cabinets,and equipment are accessible
  for cleaning.
• 6. If the laboratory has windows that open to the
  exterior, they are fitted with fly screens.

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Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2)

• . For work involving agents of moderate
  potential hazard to personnel and the
  environment
• Standard Practices apply

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Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2)

• Special Practices
• 1. Access limited
• 2. Special requirements for entry
• 3. Warning signs
• 4. Immunizations/Tests for personnel
• 5. Baseline serum samples
• 6. Biosafety manual
• 7. Training of lab and support personnel

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Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2)

• 8. Sharps-syringe needles, slides, pipets,
  capillary tubes, scalpels, razor blades
• 9. Leakproof containers for all potentially
  infectious waste
• 10. Decontamination of Equipment and work
  surfaces
• 11. Reporting requirements
• 12. Animals

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Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2)

• Safety Equipment-Primary Barriers
• 1. Class II biosafety cabinets (BSL), personal
  protective equipment, other containment whenever
• a. Infectious aerosols or splashes from
• centrifugation opening containers
• grinding intranasal inoculation
• blending harvesting tissues
• shaking
• sonication

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Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2)

• Safety Equipment-Primary Barriers
• 1 b. high concentrations or large volumes of
  infectious
• agents are used
• 2. Face protection, when IM used outside BSL
• 3. Coats, gowns, smocks, overalls
• 4. Gloves reqd for animals, infected matl,
  contaminated surfaces equipment

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Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3)

• ..agents which may cause serious or potentially
  lethal disease as a result of exposure by
  inhalation..
• Personnel must have specific training for
  handling of such agents.
• All procedures must be performed in BSCs or other
  containment devices.

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Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3)

• Special Practiceslike Level 2 but with further
  restrictions..
• Baseline serum samples collected from all lab
  workers.
• Workers must demonstrate proficiency.
• No open vessels outside of physical containment.

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Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3)

• Safety Equipment-Primary Barriers
• 1. BSC for manipulation of infected materials.
• 2. PPE-mask, gloves, respirator, face shield.
  Physical containment-caging for animals, sealed
  centrifuge rotors.
• 3. Protective clothing not allowed out of the
  lab. Changing rooms.

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Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4)

• ..dangerous and exotic agents which carry a high
  risk of aerosol transmitted infections and
  life-threatening disease..
• 1. Specialized training for all workers.
• 2. All activities confined to class III BSC or
  class II BSC used with 1 piece positive pressure
  suit that includes life support ventilation.

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Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4)

• 3. Lab is physically separated from access
  corridors.
• 4. Serological surveillance program.
• 5. Enter leave through airlocks (supplies
  also), employees must shower before leaving.
• Otherwise much like Level III.
• 265 page booklet from U.S. Dept of HHS
• http//www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/biosfty/bmbl4/bmbl4toc.h
  tm