Star Team

Hi guys...how are u guys? Anyway sorry for this late posting..just finish my AIMM exam on friday =)

Anyway here's a summary of biosafety level 2+, 3 & 4 and details about Biosafety Cabinet Class II

Biosafety Level: BSL-2+


Agents:
Agents handled are associated with human disease[In the research lab I am in, we handle Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) of different strains] By the way, in the research lab I am working,it is a BSL 2+ lab

Practices:

1.Only people with access can enter
2.All activities are performed in a BSC cabinet
3.Biosafety manual defining any needed waste decontaminated or medical surveillance policies are all filed into a file which is kept in the

Safety Equipments:
1. Class II Biological Safety Cabinets are used
2. Personal Safety Equipments (PPE) are to be worn
3. Pipeting devices are used & pipeting is prohibited

Facilities:
1. A sink and disinfectant are present for hand washing
2. An autoclave machine within the BSL-2 lab is present
In addition, self closing double door access is implemented.
The air is not recirculated and Lab air pressure is lower than adjoining rooms


Biosafety Level: BSL-3


Agents:
Agents which are associated with human disease and cause illness by spreading through air or aerosol

Practices:
Practices which implies for BSL-2+ implies for BSL-3
In addition, there is controlled access and decontamination of lab clothing before laundering

Safety Equipments:
Safety equipments which are used in BSL-2 are also used
In addition, respiratory protection is needed


Facilities:

Facilities present is BSL-2+ are also found in BSL-3
Other facilities includes
Physical separation from access corridors
exhaust air is not recirculated
Negative air flow into the laboratory


Biosafety Level: BSL-4


Agents:
Agents which are associated with human disease and cause illness by spreading through air or aerosol or have unknown cause of transmission

Practices:

Practices which implies for BSL-3 also implies for BSL-4
In addition
1. Personnel must change their clothing before entering the lab
2. There is a shower, which is found at the exit of the lab. This shower is used when personnel enters and leaves the lab
3. All materials are decontaminated immediately before disposal
4. All experiments or activities are conducted in a BSC class III in combination with full- body, air-supplied, positive- pressure personnel suit


Facilities:
Facilities present is BSL-3 are also found in BSL-4
BSL-4 lab is established in a separate building or isolated from other areas of the hospital or research laboratory
Dedicated supply and exhaust, vacuum and decontamination systems are also present in the BSl-4 laboratory




Biosafety Cabinet Class II

Biosafety Class II cabinet are designed to protect the laboratory environmnet, work material & even protects the suer from the exposure to infectious aerosols and splashesthat may be generated when manipulating materials conatining infectious agents. All users must attend and complete a BSC II training before they are allowed to used the equipment. Just like what we have learnt in Drug Development & Clinical Trails, training must be documeneted =). Bunsen burners cannot be used in the BSC II cabinets as heat produced will distort the air flow. As a result, this damages the HEPA filters thus affecting the shelf-life of the cabinet. Traffice behind the user should be minimised to avoid any shifts in airflow



I guess that I don't need to tell you guys about the operation of BSC II [It's almost like the laminar flow hoods we use in Mammalian Cell Technology =) ]. But if you want to tell you...just tell me

Just a point to take note is that instead of those plastic covers that are used to cover the hood when the hood is not in use, instead, a glass viewing panel, which can be pulled down vertically is used to cover the hood. Please note that the glass viewing panel must not be lifted beyond the safety level when the cabint is in use, otherwise the alarm will be sound. I will try to get a picture of the BSC II on monday.



That's all for it now...See u in the next campus discussion =)



Eugene Wong

TG02

0502076C

# posted by Star team @ 2:24 PM