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New No.3, Appaiar Lane, Second Floor,
Royapuram, Chennai - 600 013, Tamilnadu, India
Email -  , Phone - +9144 25984175, Mobile - +91 94441 62346
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Frequently Asked Question - Biological Safety
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 Special
Practices for Biological Safety 2 / Biosafety Level 2 - BSL 2
- Access to the laboratory is limited or restricted by the principal
investigator when work with infectious agents is in progress.
In general, persons at increased risk of acquiring infection or
for whom infection may be unusually hazardous are not allowed
in the laboratory or animal rooms. Persons who are immunocompromised
or immunosuppressed may be at unusual risk of acquiring infections.
- The principal investigator establishes policies and procedures
whereby only persons who have been advised of the potential hazard
and meet specific requirements (e.g., immunization) enter the
laboratory or animal rooms.
- When an infectious agent requires special provisions (e.g.,
immunization) for entering a laboratory where it is in use, a
hazard warning sign incorporating the universal biohazard symbol
is posted on the access door to the laboratory work area. The
hazard warning sign identifies the infectious agent, lists the
name and telephone number of the principal investigator or other
responsible person, and indicates the special requirements for
entering the laboratory. propriate immunizations for the agents
handled or potentially present in the laboratory.
- When appropriate, baseline serum samples for laboratory and
other at-risk personnel are collected and stored. Additional specimens
may be collected periodically.
- A biosafety manual shall be developed for the laboratory. Laboratory
personnel are advised of special hazards and are required to read
and follow instructions on practices and procedures.
- Laboratory personnel receive appropriate training on the potential
hazards associated with the work involved, the necessary precautions
to prevent exposures, and the exposure evaluation procedures.
Personnel receive annual retraining and receive additional training
when procedures or policies change.
- A high degree of precaution must always be taken with any contaminated
sharp items, including needles and syringes, slides, pipettes,
capillary tubes, and scalpels. Needles and syringes should be
used in the laboratory only when there is no alternative, such
as when parenteral injection, phlebotomy, or aspiration of fluids
from laboratory animals and diaphragm bottles are conducted. Plasticware
should be substituted for glassware whenever possible.
- Only needle-locking syringes or disposable syringe-needle
units (i.e., the needle is integral to the syringe) are used
for injection or aspiration of infectious materials. Used
disposable needles must not be bent, sheared, broken, recapped,
removed from disposable syringes, or otherwise manipulated
by hand before disposal; rather they must be carefully placed
in conveniently located puncture-resistant containers used
for sharps disposal. Nondisposable sharps must be placed in
a hard-walled container for transport to a processing area
for decontamination, preferably by autoclaving.
- Syringes that resheathe the needle, needleless systems,
and other safe devices should be used when appropriate.
- Broken glassware must not be handled directly by hand but
must be removed by mechanical means such as a brush and dustpan,
tongs, or forceps. Containers of contaminated needles, sharp
equipment, and broken glass are decontaminated before disposal.
- Cultures, tissues, and specimens of body fluids are placed in
a container that prevents leakage during collection, handling,
processing, storage, transport, or shipping.
- Laboratory equipment and work surfaces should be decontaminated
with an appropriate disinfectant on a routine basis as well as
after work with infectious material is finished and, especially,
after overt spills, splashes, or other contamination by infectious
materials. Contaminated equipment must be decontaminated before
it is sent for repair or maintenance or packaged for transport.
- Spills or accidents that result in overt exposures to infectious
materials are immediately reported to the laboratory director.
Medical evaluation, surveillance, and treatment are provided as
appropriate at no cost to employees, and written records are maintained.
- Animals not involved in the work being performed are not permitted
in the lab.
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