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Animal Biosafety

Here are some documents related to animal biosafety, animal welfare, animal housing and procedures. Animals are often used in research, teaching, diagnostics or behavioral studies. Working with animals brings a different set of challenges to biorisk management that need to be understood and controlled. Arguably, animal biorisk management can be much more difficult than laboratory biorisk management because you now need to deal with the animal issues and their diseases. Documents and links in this section will provide some guidance and help. 

Animal Welfare

Animal Welfare - Animal care and use, ethics, pain and suffering

When using animals in biomedical work, it is your responsibility to ensure that they are used only when necessary, in the least numbers to obtain valid results and they are housed and treated humanely. 

Animal Housing

Guidelines for housing of all species of animals

Each animal is very different and therefore requires different housing conditions. Ensuring that animals are housed properly is vital to good animal welfare and experimental results. The following guidelines will help your learn the appropriate way to house the animals under your care.

Infection Control

Preventing transmission of pathogens from animals to humans, humans to animals and animals to animals

A good animal biorisk management program must prevent the transmission of disease agents. The following documents and links will provide you with guidance and risk control measures.

  • Compendium Of Veterinary Standard Precautions: Zoonotic Disease Prevention In Veterinary Personnel from the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians Veterinary Infection Control Committee, 2006 Compendium of Veterinary Standard Precautions. pdf 

Associations

There are a large number of different associations and organizations that are directly or indirectly related to biorisk management. Below are a large number of links to their websites in alphabetical order.

Biosafety cabinets

Biosafety cabinets are the the most important engineering control to use in a biomedical facility to reduce biorisk. They can protect you, your work and the environment. Since there are several different types, you must select the correct one based upon risk reduction required. You need to know that they should be certified regularly and how this is done. The links below will provide the information you need to learn more.

Documents

Videos

Biosecurity & Bioethics

Biosafety and bioethics when working with biological agents is extremely important. These are closely linked to biosafety and have many overlaps in programs management. Below are many useful references and links that will help you to understand and implement biosecurity and bioethics in your work and workplace.

Disinfection & Sterilization

Disinfection, decontamination and sterilization are very important parts of overall biorisk management. When working with infectious pathogenic agents, you want to be sure the microorganisms are reduced in number (below and infectious amount) or destroyed. It is important to understand the degree of organism removal required, based upon a risk assessment and realize that not all destructive methods work equally. Microbial organism vary widely in their resistance to destruction. The links below will help you learn more and make better choices regarding decontamination and sterilization.

General

Autoclaves

Autoclaves are the most useful and effective means of destroying all microbial living organisms in a facility. You must understand how to use them properly and effectively. Validation and safety inspections are critical to their safe and effective use.  

Documents

Videos

Liquid chemical

Liquid chemicals are the most widely used means of decontamination in a facility. Unlike autoclaves, they may not lead to the total destruction of all microorganisms. There is a very wide range of liquid chemicals available and their use and selection should be based upon a risk assessment. Be aware, they are a hazard themselves and should be treated as such.

Emergency & Incident Response

When unplanned events occur, are you prepared? Incidents (minor issues) and emergencies (serious issues) occur everywhere and everyday. Anything that disrupts your normal daily activity from illness to explosions, should be anticipated and planned for. Your response to the issue (incident or emergency) will make a big difference to how well the issue is resolved. Therefore, the greater the preparation and implementation of a practiced response, the better the outcome. The links below will help you prepare and respond. 

Fire

Fires - paper, chemical, plastic, cloth, wood, etc.

Medical emergencies

People work in facilities and people have medical issues. Everything from small cuts to major heart attacks can and do occur. Depending upon who that person is, where the incident happened and how you respond can make a big difference (life or death). Everyone working in a biomedical facility needs to be prepared every day for a medical emergency.

Documents

Videos

Biological spills

Spills - in the BSC, on the floor, on the bench, etc.

Spills of biological materials can and do happen every day in biomedical facilities. The consequences can be minor to large, depending upon what was spilled, the volume and how you respond. Everyone working in a biomedical facility needs to be prepared every day for a biological spill.

Documents

Videos

Chemical spills

Spills - in the BSC, on the floor, on the bench, etc.

Chemical or various kinds are frequently found in most microbiology facilities. Therefore, spills of chemicals can and do occur. The consequences can be minor to large, depending upon what was spilled, the volume and how you respond. Everyone working in a biomedical facility needs to be prepared every day for a chemical spill.

Power loss

Power loss - transient, spikes, long-term, etc.

Power is an important component to the functionality of a safe and secure facility. When power is lost, (briefly or for an extend time) the correct response needs to be taken.

Facility Construction

The facility (building and room) you work in is an important part of biorisk reduction. Well designed, maintained and operated facilities provide biorisk reduction through their engineering controls. In addition, they can also make it easier for you to conduct your work safely and securely. The links below will help you design, maintain and operate a supportive biomedical facility.

Infection Control

Infectious agents are always trying to find a way to move from one host to another. Infection control is the practice of limiting or stopping the spread of those infectious pathogens. 

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment is anything that you put on to create a barrier between you and the hazard. There are many types and choices of PPE. Use only what you need based upon the risk assessment. Learn more using the information below.

Hand protection

Gloves - plastic, cut resistant, thermal, chemical resistant, etc.

Your hands are the part of your body that is most frequently in close proximity to the hazard and therefore needs the most protection. Consider carefully what the hazard is (biological, chemical, heat, cold, etc.) and choose the type of hand protection that best protects against that hazard. Learn more using the information below.

Body protection

Body protection - Laboratory coats, gowns, scrubs, coveralls, etc.

Your body is potentially exposed to a variety of hazards. Covering the skin of your body with an appropriate layer of covering will provide a barrier of protection.

Eye protection

Eye protection - Safety glasses, face shield, goggles, etc.

Eye protection is vital. Based upon a risk assessment, appropriate eye protection must be worn to protect against a hazardous situation.

Face masks

Face masks including dust masks, surgical masks, bandanas, gaiters, etc.

Face masks are an important part of your overall PPE, as they cover several portals of potential pathogen entry into the body.  

Respiratory protection

Respiratory protection - Filtering face piece, half-face, full-face and powered air purifying respirators

You have to breath to stay alive. When you inhale, everything in the air enters your body. Therefore, if there are hazards in the air you are breathing in, you should use a respirator to remove those hazards. Depending upon the situation you are in and the hazard, the correct type of respirator and filter should be chosen.

Particulate Filtering Facepiece Respirators

(these are typically paper filters that should fit tight to your face and filter 95-100% of particulates)

Half-Face Respirators

(these respirators are also called “elastomeric” respirators, have changeable filters based upon hazard and typically cover the nose and mouth)

Full-Face Respirators

(these respirators cover the eyes, nose and mouth and are therefore also called “gas masks” because they protect the entire face from chemicals and biologicals)

Powered Air Purifying Respirators

(these respirators cover the entire head with a hood that is supplied with filtered air the is pushed to the head by a fan)

  • How to Safely Take off PPE, Selected Equipment: PAPR and Gown. United States Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control website: A link to a video on how to safely remove PPE and a PAPR. Youtube video
  • The Use and Effectiveness of Powered Air Purifying Respirators in Health Care, a PDF from the National Academies of Sciences. PAPRs in health care.pdf 
  • To PAPR or not to PAPR. A journal article (PDF) from the Canadian Journal of Respiratory Therapy 2014, 50(3): 87–90. PAPR vs. N95.pdf
  • Use of powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) by healthcare workers for preventing highly infectious viral diseases—a systematic review of evidence. A journal article (PDF) from Systematic Reviews (2020) 9:173. Use of PAPRs by health care workers.pdf

Program Management

A good biorisk program is an important component of mitigating biological risk. This includes many of the administrative controls that outline roles and responsibilities of key people, manuals, written standard operating procedures, training, signage and much more. The links below will provide you with more information upon which to build your biorisk management program.

Animal care and use committee (IACUC)

Committee composition, roles and responsibilities

A good animal biosafety commitee helps both the research and the animals being used in the research.  It is very important that the correct numbers of animals are used only when necessary to gain valuable scientific information. The oversight of animals is research provides the necessary review to ensure use of animals is scientifically should, safe and the animal welfare needs are met.

  • From the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, a PDF document for download on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) – Institutional Animal Care Use Committee Guidebook.pdf
  • A link to the USA National Institutes of Health guide for establishing and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee – IACUC.html
  • A link to IACUC Central, from the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science – IACUC central. html

Biosafety committee

Institutional biosafety committee (IBC), safety committee, etc.

This committee may be called many different things, but its main function is to provide oversight to the work being done with biological materials. 

Checklists

Checklists can be an important additional component to an overall biorisk management program. While they shold not be relied upon to validate a program, they can be used as a useful supplement to guide a SOP, assessment or audit.

Risk Assessment

A proper risk assessment is the cornerstone of any good biosafety program. Understanding the risks and taking the appropriate control measures is biorisk management. Therefore, without a risk assessment, you cannot implement effective and strategic risk control. 

Risk, by definition is a combination of the probability and consequences of an adverse event occurring. However, it is also assessed by the perception of the person to whom the event may occur. Therefore, it is subjective and varies depending upon a variety of factors. 

Shipping of biological materials

Biological materials are always being moved, within and between biomedical facilities. Issues of safety and security arise when moving these materials that you need to understand and manage. 

Teaching biosafety

It is important to teach and train others about biosafety. This platform is just one of many different places that you can find teaching materials and methods. Pay it forward.

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