equipment, and the equipment is regularly inspected and maintained. Personal Protective Equipment Personal protective equipment includes safety eyewear, lab and gloves, and is used to supplement the containment provided by laboratory practices and safety equipment. Personal protective equipment is considered the least desirable containment method since its failure results in direct exposure of personnel to the biological agent. Facility Design Facility design and security features provide physical separation of laboratories from public access, specially designed ventilation systems (to prevent airborne biological agents from migrating outside the laboratory), and autoclaves. These design features protect personnel working outside the immediate laboratory, as well the outside environment. Biosafety Levels The CDC/NIH has developed four biosafety levels that describe laboratory practices and techniques, safety equipment, and facility design features recommended for work with specific infectious organisms. Descriptions of the biosafety levels, as well as assigned biosafety levels for specific organisms, are contained in the CDC/NIH document; Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL). The recommended biosafety level for an organism represents conditions under which the agent can normally be handled safely; however, specific circumstances may dictate that the recommended conditions be raised or lowered. As outlined in the BMBL, the four biosafety levels are summarized below: Biosafety Agents Practices Safety Equip. Facilities Level 1 Not known to cause Standard Microbiological None required Open bench top, disease in healthy adults. Practices sink required 2 Associated with human BSL-1 practice plus: Primary barriers: I BSL-1 plus: disease, hazard: Limited access or II BSCs or other Autoclave ingestion, Biohazard warning containment used for available mucous membrane signs manipulations of agents exposure Sharps precautions that cause splashes or Biosafety manual aerosols of infectious materials; : lab coats; gloves; eye/face protection as needed 3 Indigenous or exotic BSL-2 practice plus: Primary barriers: Class I BSL-2 plus: agents with potential for Controlled access or II BSCs or other Physical aerosol transmission; Decontamination of all physical containment separation disease may have serious waste devices used for all from access or lethal consequences Decontamination of manipulations of corridors lab clothing before agents; : protective lab laundering clothing; gloves;
equipment, and the equipment is regularly inspected and maintained. Personal Protective Equipment Personal protective equipment includes safety eyewear, lab and gloves, and is used to supplement the containment provided by laboratory practices and safety equipment. Personal protective equipment is considered the least desirable containment method since its failure results in direct exposure of personnel to the biological agent. Facility Design Facility design and security features provide physical separation of laboratories from public access, specially designed ventilation systems (to prevent airborne biological agents from migrating outside the laboratory), and autoclaves. These design features protect personnel working outside the immediate laboratory, as well the outside environment. Biosafety Levels The CDC/NIH has developed four biosafety levels that describe laboratory practices and techniques, safety equipment, and facility design features recommended for work with specific infectious organisms. Descriptions of the biosafety levels, as well as assigned biosafety levels for specific organisms, are contained in the CDC/NIH document; Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL). The recommended biosafety level for an organism represents conditions under which the agent can normally be handled safely; however, specific circumstances may dictate that the recommended conditions be raised or lowered. As outlined in the BMBL, the four biosafety levels are summarized below: Biosafety Level Agents Practices Safety Equip. Facilities 1 Not known to cause disease in healthy adults. Standard Microbiological Practices None required Open bench top, sink required 2 Associated with human disease, hazard: ingestion, mucous membrane exposure BSL-1 practice plus: Limited access Biohazard warning signs Sharps precautions Biosafety manual Primary barriers: I or II BSCs or other containment used for manipulations of agents that cause splashes or aerosols of infectious materials; : lab coats; gloves; eye/face protection as needed BSL-1 plus: Autoclave available 3 Indigenous or exotic agents with potential for aerosol transmission; disease may have serious or lethal consequences BSL-2 practice plus: Controlled access Decontamination of all waste Decontamination of lab clothing before laundering Primary barriers: Class I or II BSCs or other physical containment devices used for all manipulations of agents; : protective lab clothing; gloves; BSL-2 plus: Physical separation from access corridors