Biosafety keeping laboratory workers safe Lauren Dunbar DEOHS

Biosafety: keeping laboratory workers safe Lauren Dunbar DEOHS March 9, 2009

What is Biosafety? Biosafety: prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity, focusing both on ecology and human health.

What laws apply to biosafety? Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) Administered through OSHA Includes people that may come in contact with bodily fluids Agents covered: Hepatitis B, C HIV All the rules are outlined in 29 CFR 1910. 1030

BBP Requirements • Exposure control plan • Demonstrated controls of exposure – Engineering and workplace – Personal protective equipment (PPE) – Housekeeping – Contaminated sharps • Special standards for laboratories with HIV • Hepatitis B vaccine • Training and record keeping

Biosafety in microbiological and biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) Guidelines put out by the CDC Currently the 5 th Edition Not enforceable by law Covers everything from animal handling to fungi to biosecurity

BMBL Outlines the risk groups and classifications for agents that need special treatment Describes requirements for each biosafety level Describes operation procedures when dealing with infectious agents Appropriates approval of procedures and certain types of work to the Internal Biosafety Committee (IBC)

International Use and Care of Animals Committee (IUCAC) Over sees all protocols that involve animals Cover all animals from mice to non-human primates Must examine animal welfare, worker care, animal safety, housing, procedures Meet monthly to approve new protocols and new agents

Agents of concern… West Nile Virus E. coli Hepatitis HI V s i s o l cu r e b tu Cholera Hantavirus

How do you classify agents? Risk assessment conducted to determine the level of control needed Consider agent hazards, laboratory procedure hazards, and general control of the agent by workers. Put agents into Risk Groups as outlined in the BMBL

Risk Group 1 Agents not associated with disease in health humans No or low community risk Work performed in BSL-1

Risk Group 2 Agents associated with human disease Rarely serious Preventative or therapeutic interventions are often available Work usually performed at BSL-2

Risk Group 3 Agents that are associated with searious or lethal human disease Preventative or therapeutic interventions may be available High individual risk, but low community risk

Risk Group 4 Agents that are likely to cause serious or lethal human disease Preventive or therapeutic treatments are not usually available High individual and community risk

Why are there different Biosafety levels? Each level is based on risk groups Put in place when general laboratory procedures are not enough to fully protect employees Safety Barriers Safety Equipment (Primary Barrier) Facility Design (Secondary Barrier)

Biosafety Level 1

Controls Safety equipment: None required Facilities: Laboratory bench and sink required

Biosafety Level 2

Engineering controls Class I or II biosafety cabinet or other containment Equipment must prevent splashes or aerosols of infection agents Limited access Biohazard Warning signs Biosafety manual “sharps” precautions

Class 1 BSC Unflittered room air is drawn across the work surface Hard ducted to building exhaust Drawn through an initial HEPA filter Provides personal, but no product protection

Class II May be used for BSL- I, 2, and 3 work Provide work place for tissue culture Protect personnel, environment, and product Exhaust air is filtered through a HEPA filter and may be recirculated

Class II, Type A 1 Internal blower draws air through the front grille Laminar flow Air drawn through the front and rear grille Partial recirculation through HEPA filters

Class II, Type A 2 Positive air plenum is surrounded by a negative air pressure plenum Minute quantities of volitiles may be used If ducted directly to the outdoors, used to be considered Class II, Type B 3

Class II, Type B 1 Designed for manipulations with hazard chemicals in in vitro biology Exhaust air is drawn primarily to the rear grille which is discharged through an exhaust system Hard ducted to the exhaust sytem

Class II, Type B 2 No recirculation of air Air passes through a top HEPA filter, down over the work space All entered air is filtered and discharged through a dedicated exhaust system

PPE Laboratory coats, gloves, face protection as needed

Design Parameters Autoclave available

Biosafety Level 3

Engineering controls Controlled access Decontamination of all waste Decontamination of clothing before laundering Class I or II BSC or other containment device for all open containers

Class III Work with highly infectious agents and conduct hazardous operations Gas tight Materials passed through a dunk tank through cabinet floor or double-door passthrough Air must pass through 2 HEPA filters Cabinet under negative pressure

PPE Protective laboratory clothing Gloves Respiratory protection as needed

Design Parameters Physical barrier from access corridors Self closing, double-door access Exhaust air not recirculated Negative airflow into the lab

Biosafety level 4

Engineering controls Clothing change before entrance Shower on exit All material decontaminated before leaving the facility All procedures performed Class III or a Class I or II with full-body, air-supplied positive pressure personnel suit

PPE Changes in all clothing before entering and leaving the work space PAPR must be worn in when not in Class III cabinet

Design Parameters Separate building or isolated zone Dedicated supply and exhaust, vacuum and decontamination systems

Animal Biosafety Levels

ABSL-1 Standard animal care and management No recirculation of exhaust air Directional air flow Hand washing sink available

ABSL-2 • Limited access • Biosafety manual, warning signs • Sharps precautions • Containment equipment for appropriate animal species • Lab coats, gloves, face and respiratory protection • Autoclave, hand wash sink available, mechanical washer

ABSL-3 • Controlled access, decontamination of clothing before laundering • Cages decontaminated before remove bedding • Containment equipment for animal housing, Class I, II, or III for sample manipulation • Self-closing doors, sealed doorways, doubledoor access

ABSL-4 Entrance through change room, showering upon exit All waste decontaminated Maximum containment equipment used for all procedures and activities Separated building or zone Dedicated supply and exhaust, vacuum, and containment system

Building design

Secondary Barriers Inward directional air flow Optional design feature for BSL-2 Required for BSL 3 facilities

Building exhaust For all facilities, adequate supply air must be provided to ensure exhaust system is functioning correctly A dedicated exhaust system is required for BSL-3 and 4 facilities

Performance testing Downflow velocity and volume test Lighting intensity test Inflow velocity test Vibration test Airflow smoke patterns Noise level test HEPA filter leak test Cabinet leak test Electrical leakage and ground circuit test UV lamp test (optional)

Congratulations! You have received your first faculty position at UW and a $5 million grant to research foot cancer at the molecular level You have the money, now let’s start injecting mice!

First, you must get IBC and IUCAC approval

IBC Contact EH&S about the BSL of work Site must be reviewed by a biosafety officer from Research and Biosafety Office (RBSO) Have Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), laboratory manual, biosafety manual, and appropriate signage All training must be documented and updated as needed Now to animals…

IUCAC Review animal protocols based on animal welfare and potential human exposure Facilities investigated and work given an ABSL Lab staff must receive all training before entering facilites Must get approval from monthly IUCAC meeting

IBC (again) Get permission from IBC at quarterly meeting to move forward with work Continually reviewed Must have annual training

Want to add another gene to your mice? Start at the beginning