# Presentation: 179429

## Research Safety Common Problems, Red Flags & Best Practices

- Kenneth K. Sung, MS
- Chief Research Safety Officer
- Office of Research Oversight
- Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
- Washington, DC

**Notes:**
Oversight: the act of overseeing, supervision. (3-5 mins)
0018: Safety & Occupational Health Management series, GS-5-11, Intern, covering inspection, investigation, accident reporting, JSA, training methods, OSHA, Electrical, Laboratory, Hospital, Tactical, Traffic, Drivers’ Training, JACHO, Life Safety Code, etc.,
Accident Investigation:
	Identify Root Causes
	Collecting Data
	Analyze
	Recommend Countermeasures 
Safety Management: 
Unsafe Conditions
Facilities, Equipment, Organizational System, etc,.
Unsafe Acts
Human behavior
Organizational behavior/cultures

## PURPOSE

-    To provide VA attendees with the information necessary to enhance research laboratory safety program and
-  protect personnel and the surrounding environment from hazards associated with the use of biological and chemical agents.

## Topics for Review and Discuss

- Most Frequent Lab Incidents
- Safety Equipment
- Biological Safety Levels
- Standard Practices
- Bloodborne Pathogen
- Chemical Hygiene Plan
- Safety Training
- Safety Management Issues
- References

## Most Frequent Lab Incidents

- Splash/Spills
- Needle Sticks/Cuts
- Burns
- Explosions
- Mouth Pipetting
- Animal Bites/Scratches

## Types of Biosafety Cabinets

- Biological safety cabinets are used to prevent the escape of aerosols or droplets and to protect research personnel and products from airborne contamination.
- Class I
- Class II
- Class III

## Biological Safety Cabinets   Class I

- Suitable for work with low to moderate risk agents
- Minimum potential hazard to lab personnel and environment
- Examples: Bacillus subtilis, E coli k-12

##   Biological Safety Cabinet Class II

- Designed to protect the worker, the general public and the product
- Appropriate for work with potentially infectious blood, tissues, and body fluids
- Examples: Human influenza virus, human adenoviurs, Salmonella sp

## Biological Safety Cabinet Class III 

- Used for high risk biological agents when absolute containment is required
- Appropriate for work with high risk pathogens
- Associated with serious lethal human disease; preventive or therapeutic intervention may be available
- HEPA systems are tested at least annually
- Examples: Brucella abortus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and HIV

## Certification

- All biological safety cabinets that are used for handling biohazardous agents must be certified.
- When newly installed
- After filter replacement
- After cabinet has been moved
- Annually

## Biological Safety Level (BSL)

- BSL 1 – No BSC required, sink required.
- BSL 2 – BSC used for aerosol/splash generating operation, coat, gloves, face mask required, waste is autoclaved.
- BSL 3 – BSC used, negative airflow into lab; decontaminated all waste; exhaust  air not recirculated.
- BSL – 4  BSC 3 practices, clothing change before entering lab; shower required for exit; all materials are decontaminated on exit; positive pressure personnel suit required for entry, separate isolate building.

## Chemical Fume Hoods

- Some lab workers refer to biosafety cabinets as “hoods”. It is important to know the difference between a biosafety cabinet and a chemical fume hood.
- Biosafety cabinets are designed to protect the individual and the environment from biological agents, and to protect the research materials from contamination.
- Chemical fume hoods, however, are designed solely to protect the individual from exposure to chemicals and noxious gases.
- Since chemical fume hoods are not equipped with HEPA filters, they must not be used for work with biohazardous materials.

## Centrifuges

- Hazards associated with centrifuging include mechanical failure (e.g., rotor failure, tube or bucket failure) and the creation of aerosols. To minimize the risk of mechanical failure, centrifuges must be maintained and used according to the manufacture’s instructions. Users should be properly trained, and operating instructions that include safety precautions should be prominently posted on the unit.

## Standard Practices I 

- Access to lab is limited or restricted by the lab director when work with infectious agents is in progress
- Persons wash their hands after handling viable material and animals, after removing gloves, and before leaving lab
- Eating, drinking, smoking, handling contact lenses and applying cosmetics are not permitted in work areas

## Standard Practices II

- Mouth Pipetting is Prohibited
- Work surfaces are decontaminated daily and after any spill of viable material
- All cultures, stocks, and other regulated wastes are decontaminated before disposal by an approved decontamination method such as autoclaving
- An insect and rodent control program is in effect

## Standard Practices III

- BSC are used whenever there is a potential for aerosol/splash creation or when high concentrations/large volumes of infectious agents are used
- Personal Protective Equipment are used

## Additional Safe Tips

- Biohazard warning sign listing responsible laboratory personnel and infectious agents are posted on all laboratory access doors
- Sandals and open-toe shoes are not appropriate footwear in the lab
- All laboratory materials (lab coat, gloves, eyewear etc) remain in the laboratory unless properly decontaminated.

##  Bloodborne Pathogens

-  29 CFR 1910.1030
- Universal Precautions
- Engineering Control
- Exposure Control
- HBV Vaccination

## Chemical Hygiene Plan(CHP)

- Chemical Hygiene Officer
- Chemical Inventory
- Material Safety Data Sheet
- Annual Update of the CHP
- Mandatory training
- Personal Protective Equipment

## Safety Training

- Training upon assignment and annually
- 	-Bloodborne Pathogen, HAZCOM
- Laboratory workers must receive additional specialized training
- 	- Must be agent specific training

## Safety Management Issues I

- Assign Trained Research Safety Officer
- Familiar with the VHA Directives/Handbooks, Federal regulations and CDC/NIH Manual/Guidelines (BMBL/rDNA)
- Review/Update SOPs, Manual, Procedures, and Risk/Vulnerability Assessment at least annually
- Review records of safety inspections, training, occupational injuries, and discuss at SRS for improvement if any.
- Ensure that BSCs are certified and HEPA filers are
- 	replaced by qualified vendors
- Waste, shipping and receiving handling

## Safety Management Issues II

- VHA Directive 2005-003, Requirements for Submittal and
- Approval of Biosafety Level-3 Research Laboratory Construction and Renovation, Jan 19, 2005.
- Information regarding the qualifications of the Biosafety Officer
- Ensure that CDC/NIH Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Lab (BMBL) safety requirements are incorporated into design concept
- Plan and conduct a commissioning of BSL 3

## References

- VHA Handbook 1200.8,
- VHA Handbook 1200.6,
- VHA Directive 2005-003
- BMBL 4th Edition
- 29 CFR 1910.1030
- NIH Guideline for Research involving rDNA Molecules

## Q & A