Biosafety Resources

S3: Science Safety Security

Biorisk Management

The International Working Group on Strengthening the Culture of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Responsible Conduct in the Life Sciences is a forum and a community of practice comprised of representatives of governments, academia, industry, and professional and international organizations, using crowdsourcing to develop guiding principles and educational/training resources to support and promote a global culture of biosafety, biosecurity, ethical, and responsible conduct in the life sciences, based on the culture model and assessment methodology developed by IAEA for the nuclear safety and security culture. The International Working Group developed a Guide to Training and Information Resources on the Culture of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Responsible Conduct in the Life Sciences, a Culture of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Responsible Conduct in the Life Sciences -- (Self) Assessment Framework–, and an accompanying data collection tool. This framework provides a measure of the organizational culture of biosafety, biosecurity, and responsible conduct to aid in the process of enhancing such culture at the local level through baseline and periodic assessments. The Framework may be used as is or may be customized in accordance with local needs.

General Biosafety

Biosafety in Biomedical and Microbiological Laboratories

Biosafety in Biomedical and Microbiological Laboratories: Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) has served as the cornerstone of biosafety practice in the United States since its initial release in 1984. The BMBL remains an advisory document recommending best practices for the safe conduct of work in biomedical and clinical laboratories from a biosafety perspective.

The NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules

The NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules: The NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines) detail safety practices and containment procedures for basic and clinical research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, including the creation and use of organisms and viruses containing recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules.

Occupational Health

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard: OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard is a regulation that prescribes safeguards to protect workers against health hazards related to bloodborne pathogens. It has provisions for exposure control plans, engineering and work practice controls, hepatitis B vaccinations, hazard communication and training, and recordkeeping. The standard imposes requirements on employers of workers who may be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials such as certain tissues and body fluids.

Hazard Communication Standard

Hazard Communication Standard: The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard is designed to ensure chemical safety in the workplace. The standard, which requires workplaces to provide written information about the identities and hazards associated with the chemicals, must be available and understandable to workers.

Personal Protective Equipment Standard

Personal Protective Equipment Standard: Personal protective equipment is addressed in specific OSHA standards, some of which apply to laboratory workers.

OSHA General Duty Clause

OSHA General Duty Clause: The underlying principle in OSHA’s General Duty Clause is that an employer shall “furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.”

Waste Management

Planning Guidance for Handling Category A Solid Waste

Planning Guidance for Handling Category A Solid Waste: This guidance focuses on managing waste contaminated with the Category A infectious substances that affect humans.

Facility Planning and Design

Design Requirements Manual for Biomedical Laboratories and Animal Research Facilities

Design Requirements Manual for Biomedical Laboratories and Animal Research Facilities: The NIH’s Design Requirements Manual for Biomedical Laboratories and Animal Research Facilities (DRM) contains requirements for new buildings owned, leased, or renovated by the NIH.

Best Practices Checklist

Best Practices Checklist: The Federal Experts Security Advisory Panel (FESAP) developed this Best Practices Checklist to help departments and agencies in operationalizing generalized principles, foster the use of standard methodologies, and assist in developing templates that could be applied to guide assessments of current and projected needs for HCL space, as well as mechanisms to efficiently meet those needs.

International Resources

WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual

WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual: The WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual contains best practices for use at clinical and public health laboratories globally.

OIE Terrestrial and Aquatic Manuals

OIE Terrestrial and Aquatic Manuals: The OIE Terrestrial and Aquatic Manuals contains diagnostic laboratory methods and requirements for the production and control of vaccines. The principal target readership is laboratories carrying out veterinary diagnostic tests and surveillance, plus vaccine manufacturers and regulatory authorities in the WOAH Member Countries.

Culture of Responsibility

Guide to Training and Information Resources on the Culture of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Responsible Conduct

Guide to Training and Information Resources on the Culture of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Responsible Conduct: This list of resources was developed by the International Working Group on Strengthening the Culture of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Responsible Conduct in the Life Sciences, a forum and a community of practice comprised of representatives of governments, academia, industry, and professional and international organizations, that uses crowdsourcing to develop guiding principles and educational/training resources to support and promote a global culture of biosafety, biosecurity, ethical, and responsible conduct in the life sciences, based on the culture model and assessment methodology developed by IAEA for the nuclear safety and security culture.

Culture of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Responsible Conduct in the Life Sciences – (Self) Assessment Framework

Culture of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Responsible Conduct in the Life Sciences – (Self) Assessment Framework: This framework provides a measure of the organizational culture of biosafety, biosecurity, and responsible conduct to aid in the process of enhancing such culture at the local level through baseline and periodic assessments.

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