Biosafety is a framework that describes the use of specific practices, training, safety equipment, and specially designed buildings to protect the worker, community, and environment from an accidental exposure or unintentional release of infectious agents and toxins..
Introduction.
Biosafety guidelines are a set of policies, rules, and procedures necessary to observe by personnel working in various facilities handling microbiological agents such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, prions, and other related agents and microbiological products..
No eating, drinking, smoking, or applying cosmetics in the lab.
Disinfecting work surfaces daily and decontaminating after spills.
Prudent handling, management, and disposal of sharps.
Using procedures that minimize the formation of aerosols and splashes; engineering controls for aerosol release may be required..
Biosafety levels (BSL) are used to identify the protective measures needed in a laboratory setting to protect workers, the environment, and the public.
The levels are defined in Biosafety in Biomedical Laboratories (the BMBL)..
Laboratory biosafety practices are based on the principle of containment of biological agents to prevent exposure to laboratory workers and the outside environment.
Primary containment protects the laboratory workers and the immediate laboratory environment from exposure to biological agents..
Essential components of the biosafety guidelines contain some or all the following, depending on the facility: bio-risk assessment and identification; specific biosafety measures, which cover the code of practice, physical plant such as laboratory design and facilities, equipment acquisition and maintenance, medical .
The laboratory director is specifically and primarily responsible for assessing the risks and applying the appropriate biosafety levels..
Biosafety levels (BSL) are used to identify the protective measures needed in a laboratory setting to protect workers, the environment, and the public.
The levels are defined in Biosafety in Biomedical Laboratories (the BMBL).
Biosafety level designations in the BMBL outline specific practices and safety and facility requirements.
Section II—Biological Risk Assessment 17 It is unusual that a risk assessment would indicate a need to alter the recom - mended facility safeguards specified for the selected Biosafety Level.
If this does occur, it is important that a biological safety professional validate this judgment before augmenting any facility secondary barrier.
Biosafety, in medicine and health care settings, specifically refers to proper handling of organs or tissues from biological origin, or genetic therapy products, viruses with respect to the environment, to ensure the safety of health care workers, researchers, lab staff, patients, and the general public.
