Experiment Hazard Class 7.1 – BSL-1 Biohazards

Applicability

This hazard classification applies to all experiments involving biohazards requiring Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1). Other hazard classifications and their associated hazard controls may also apply to experiments in this hazard class.

Biosafety Level 1 is suitable for work involving well-characterized agents not known to consistently cause disease in healthy adult humans, and work that is of minimal potential hazard to laboratory personnel and the environment.

The laboratory is not necessarily separated from the general traffic patterns in the building. However, laboratories should have doors for access control. A biohazard sign, though not required for BSL1, may be posted at the entrance to the laboratory.

Work is generally conducted on open bench tops using standard microbiological practices. All procedures are performed carefully to minimize the creation of splashes or aerosols. Work surfaces are decontaminated at least once a day and after any spill of viable material. Persons must wash their hands after they handle viable materials, after removing gloves, and before leaving the laboratory.

Special containment equipment or facility design is neither required nor generally used. Laboratory personnel have specific training in the procedures conducted in the laboratory and are supervised by a scientist with general training in microbiology or a related science.

No work may be performed if the biosafety equipment and facilities are not adequate to handle the biohazards of the material. BioCARS has special facilities and procedures to handle samples requiring Biosafety Level 2 and Biosafety Level 3. Biosafety Level 4 is strictly forbidden at Argonne National Laboratory.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  It is forbidden to transport to ANL or perform experiments at the APS with any of the Select Agents listed by the CDC, and any of the high consequence livestock and plant pathogens and toxins listed in APHIS Agriculture Select Agents.  The penalties for violating this law are severe. The APS is not registered with the CDC to possess, receive, or transport Select Agents.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All experiment protocols involving human tissue (even if there are no biohazards) are required to be either reviewed or declared exempt from review by the experimenter's home instituton's Institutional Review Board. Please contact Nena Moonier (2-8504, nmoonier@aps.anl.gov) for details that are covered by Experiment Hazard Class 7.5. All experiments protocols involving animal products (even if there is no biohazard) are required to be reviewed or declared exempt from review by the home Institution Animal Care and Use Committee.

Experiment Category

Experiments involving previously reviewed hazard controls may qualify for low risk.

Experiments involving new equipment or modified hazard control schemes may be medium risk.

Experiment Hazard Control Verification Statements

Engineered Controls – No work may be performed if the biosafety equipment and facilities are not adequate to handle the biohazards of the material. The controls required for a given biosafety level are those described by the National Institutes of Health and Center for Disease Control in Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, 5^TH edition, 2009 and the World Health Organization Laboratory BioSafety Manual.

Procedural Controls – Written procedures MAY be required for activities involving biohazards at the BSL-1 hazard level. The need for an SOP will be determined by Argonne Institutional Biosafety Committee and the APS Biosafety officer. Access to experimental stations and their control areas may be limited to a posted list of authorized personnel.

Design Reviews and Equipment Inspections –All experiment protocols involving human tissue (even if there is no biohazard) are required to be either reviewed or declared exempt from review by the experimenter's home instituton's Institutional Review Board. All experiments protocols involving animal products are required to be reviewed or declared exempt from review by the home Institution Animal Care and Use Committee. Please contact Nena Moonier (2-8504, nmoonier@aps.anl.gov) for details.

Training –

Signs and Labeling – The work area MAY be posted for biosafety level one. Signs may be obtained from the AES ES&H Coordinator of the APS Biosafety Officer.

Personal Protective Equipment – As specified in any written SOP for the experiment or by standard BSL1 safety practices. Laboratory coats should be worn to prevent contamination. Protective eyewear should be worn for procedures in which splashes of material is anticipated. Gloves should be worn if there are breaks in the skin and alternatives to powdered latex golves should be available.

Experiment Authorization

Unless otherwise noted in the approved experiment safety plan, the Director of the APS Engineering Support Division delegates the authority to authorize an experiment in this hazard class to a member of the APS Experiment Safety Review Board and resident Beamline Management personnel appearing in the Director of the AES's list of personnel having the authority to authorize experiments.

Hazard Control Verification

The Director of the APS Engineering Support Division delegates responsibility for verifying that required controls are in place to personnel delegated the authority to perform this task to AES ES&H Coordinator, the experiment On-site Spokesperson, and Beamline Management personnel having experiment safety responsibilities.

References

Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, 5^TH edition, 2009. National Institutes of Health and Center for Disease Control. HHS Publication No. (CDC) 93-8395.

ANL East ESH Manual Chapter 1-9, "Research Involving Human Subjects", and Chapter 4-9, "Biosafety - Infection Control".

 

Reviewed and Updated: January 22, 2013