BIOSAFETY&BIOSECURITY

• Laboratory biosafety is the set of containment principles, technologies and practices that are implemented to prevent the unintentional exposure to biological agents and toxins, or their accidental release.
• Laboratory biosecurity is the set of measures aimed at the protection, control and accountability for valuable biological materials and protection of other valuable items.
• The agent is transmissible to the community.
• The agent is a hazard to employees.
• There is effective prophylaxis or treatment available for the agent.
• The agent is pathogenic to humans.
• The European Biological Safety Association (EBSA) aims to provide a forum for discussions and debates on issues of concern and to represent those working in the field of biosafety.
• The North America Biosafety Association (NABA) was established in 2005 to contribute to the development of the best biosafety practices.
• Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) is designed for labs that deal with indigenous moderate-risk agents present in the community.
• Risk group 1 includes microorganisms that are unlikely to cause human or animal disease and bring low individual and community risk.
• The Philippine Biosafety and Biosecurity Association (PhBBA) was created by the health and education sectors and executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government to assist the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Health (DOH) in creating a national policy and implementing plan for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity.
• Laboratory exposure to microorganisms in risk group 2 may cause infection, but effective treatment and preventive measures are available while the risk of spread is limited, bringing moderate individual risk and limited community risk.
• The Biological Risk Association Phil (BRAP) works to serve the emergent concerns of biological risk management in various professional fields.
• Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1) is suitable for work involving viable microorganisms that are defined and with well-characterized strains known not to cause disease in humans, such as Bacillus subtilis and Naegleria gruberi.
• Microorganisms are classified into risk groups according to their risk to humans or animals.
• Risk group 3 includes microorganisms that are known to cause serious diseases to humans or animals and may present a significant risk to laboratory workers, bringing high individual risk and limited to moderate community risk.
• Risk group 4 includes microorganisms that are known to produce life-threatening diseases to humans or animals and represent a significant risk to laboratory workers, bringing high individual and community risk.
• Risk group 2 includes microorganisms that are unlikely to pose a significant risk to laboratory workers and the community, livestock, or the environment.
• Infection control refers to preventive measures to minimize or prevent acquisition of infections from a healthcare setting.
• Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) puts emphasis on primary & secondary barriers in the protection of personnel, community, & environment from infectious aerosol exposure.
• Used needles, scalpel blades & other sharps are potentially infectious and should be handled properly.
• Infection control can be classified into contact precaution, airborne precaution, and droplets.
• Levels of cleaning & disinfection include cleaning surfaces, disinfecting surfaces, and sterilizing surfaces.
• There must be special safety equipment & practices when working with organisms like Marburg or the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.
• When expecting aerosols or splashes, use biosafety cabinets.
• Handwashing & waste decontamination facilities must be available & access to the lab must be restricted when work is being conducted.
• This lab is a separate building or completely isolated with specialized ventilation requirements & waste management systems.
• Airborne & droplet precaution involves the use of respiratory protective gear, masks, and eye protection like safety glasses or goggles.
• Biological agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions) are classified into four Hazard Groups.
• Contact precaution involves the use of gloves and handwashing.
• M. tuberculosis requires all lab activities to be performed in a biosafety cabinet; there is a need for secondary barrier; personnel must be supervised by scientists.
• Standards for equipment & environmental services include cleaning & disinfecting the laboratory and equipment.
• Biosafety Level 4 is required for work with dangerous & exotic agents that pose high individual risks of life threatening diseases that may be transmitted via aerosol route, for which there are no available vaccines or treatment.
• A lab worker should work using a class III biosafety cabinet or in a full-body, air-supplied positive pressure personnel suit.
• Hepa B, HIV, salmonellae, toxoplasma species are appropriate when work is done with human blood & fluids, tissues, or primary human cell lines where there is uncertain presence of infectious agents.
• In 2008, the Comité Europeen de Normalisation published the CEN Workshop Agreement 15792 (CWA 15793), focusing on laboratory biorisk management and offering a mechanism where stakeholders can develop consensus standards & requirements in an open access.
• The American Biological Safety Association (ABSA)- 1984 promotes biosafety as a scientific discipline and provides guidance to its members on the regulatory requirements.
• The manual covers biosecurity aspects such as packaging required by international transport regulations & other types of safety procedures for chemical, electrical, ionizing radiation, & fire hazards.
• Biorisk mitigation refers to actions and control measures put into place to reduce or eliminate the risks associated with biological agents and toxins and other Valuable Laboratory Material (VLM).
• The National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) EO430s1990 focuses on the organizational structure for biosafety: procedures for evaluation of proposals with biosafety concerns; procedures & guidelines on the introduction, movement & field release of regulated materials; & procedures on physico-chemical & biological containment.