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Frequently Asked Questions

S3: Science Safety Security

Biorisk Management 

Definitions and Purpose

Biohazards include biological agents and toxins infectious to humans, animals, wildlife, or plants such as parasites, viruses, bacteria, fungi, prions; and biologically-active materials such as toxins, allergens, and venoms. In addition to causing disease in living organisms, biohazards can cause significant damage to the environment.

Biocontainment

“Laboratory biocontainment” refers to the use of safety equipment and specially designed rooms and buildings which act as primary barriers to prevent the release of infectious agents, toxins, and other biological hazards into the environment.

Examples of primary biocontainment barriers include, but are not limited to:

  • biosafety cabinets; and
  • sealed containers such as containment centrifuges and special animal caging systems.

Secondary biocontainment barriers include specially designed and constructed rooms and buildings. These buildings include several engineering features to keep, or “contain”, infectious agents, toxins, and biological hazards inside the laboratory workspace. These engineering features include, but are not limited to:

  • sealed rooms;
  • self-closing, lockable doors; and
  • specialized air handling and decontamination systems.

Biological Risk, Assessment, and Management

“Biorisk” is a combination of the likelihood of an exposure to an infectious agent, toxin, or biological hazard that will cause harm, and the consequence, or severity, of that harm if exposure does occur. The higher the combination of likelihood and consequence of a harmful event resulting from exposure, the greater the risk will be. Biorisk can include risks from:

  • accidental infection, toxic response, or allergic response;
  • accidental release to the community or environment; and
  • unauthorized access, theft, or misuse by an individual who intends to cause harm.

Oversight

A culture of safety and responsibility in the laboratory helps ensure safe and responsible behaviors and practices. Individual and organizational attitudes about safety and responsibility will influence all aspects of laboratory conduct, including whether individuals will:

  • comply with safety and security measures and procedures;
  • report biosafety or biosecurity concerns;
  • respond appropriately to incidents; and
  • communicate risks to each other and to managers in a timely and accurate manner.

Every organization should strive to develop a culture of safety and responsibility that promotes transparent communication without fear of reprisal, encourages questions, and welcomes evaluation of its institutional practices. Laboratory workers should commit to supporting a culture of safety and responsibility, be aware of the risks associated with access to infectious agents and toxins, act in ways that strengthen safety and security, and engage in self-reflection to improve behaviors when needed. Laboratory workers understand that laboratory methods are often refined after observations are made, hypotheses are tested, findings are published, and technical progress is achieved. In the same way, as laboratory workers gain more knowledge about how to recognize and control risks associated with infectious agents, toxins, and other biological hazards, their safety and security practices should result in decreased risk, with the goal of constant improvement to reduce risk to the lowest possible level.

Laboratory workers have the responsibility to report their concerns to their managers and the right to express their concerns without fear of reprisal. Similarly, managers have the responsibility to address the concerns that are raised. Both laboratory workers and managers must work to maintain the highest standard of safety and responsibility.

Biosecurity

Laboratory biosecurity refers to the protection, control of, and accountability for high-consequence biological agents and toxins, and critical relevant biological materials and information within laboratories to prevent unauthorized possession, loss, theft, misuse, diversion, and accidental or intentional release. Please see the Executive Order 13486 Working Group on Strengthening the Biosecurity of the United States for more information.

Biosecurity has many definitions in literature and guidance documents. The use of the term “laboratory biosecurity” on this website refers to the definition above and aligns with the definition adopted by the World Health Organization and the American Biological Safety Association. The use of the term laboratory biosecurity on this website does not refer to the practice of agricultural biosecurity, or the prevention of entry of a pathogen or pest into a susceptible population of plants or animals, or other expanded definitions of biosecurity.