ADEKEYE SAMUEL ADEOLA

KASU/20/BCH/1136

DISCIPLINE
BI O C H EMIS TRY

TOPIC
B I O S A F E T Y I N C H E M I C A L PA T H O L O G Y
L A B O R AT O R Y

B A R A U D I K K O T E A C H I N G H O S P I T A L K A S U,
C H E M I C A L PAT H O L O G Y L A B O R A T O R Y,
KA D U N A .
NIGERIA.

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Biosafety in chemical
pathology laboratory

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 OUTLINE

• Introduction
• Definition of Biosafety
• Biosafety Levels
• Key Biosafety Measures
• Importance of Biosafety
• Conclusion
• References
• Salutation

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 Introduction
 Biosafety in the laboratory, is a concise set of practical guidelines for handling
and disposing of biohazardous materials.

 Biohazardous materials are infectious agents or hazardous biological materials

that present a risk or potential risk to the health of humans, animals or the
environment at large. These include certain types of recombinant DNA,
organisms and viruses that are infectious to humans, animals or plants (e.g.
parasites, viruses, bacteria, fungi, prions (transmissible agent that can cause
neurodegenerative disease in humans and animals) and rickettsia. Also
biologically active agents like toxins, allergens and venoms that can cause
disease in other living organisms or cause significant impacts to the environment
or community.

 The intrinsic risks of working with biological agents are not only of a biosafety
nature, such as exposure or unintentional release, but also of biosecurity, which
includes the theft, misuse, or intended release of biological material.

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 BIOSAFETY

B i o s a f e t y i n t h e l a b o r a t o r y, i s a c o n c i s e s e t o f p r a c ti c a l
guidelines for handling and disposing of biohazardous
materials.

The intrinsic risks of working with biological agents are not

o n l y o f a b i o s a f e t y n a t u r e , s u c h a s e x p o s u r e o r u n i n t e n ti o n a l
r e l e a s e , b u t a l s o o f b i o s e c u r i t y, w h i c h i n c l u d e s t h e t h e ft ,
misuse, or intended release of biological material.

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Biosafety
Levels
Activities and
projects conducted
in chemical
pathology or
biological
laboratories are
categorized by
biosafety level. The
four biosafety levels
are BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-
3, and BSL-4, with
BSL-4 being the
highest (maximum)
level of
containment.
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Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1)
BSL-1 labs are used to study infectious agents or toxins not known to consistently
cause disease in healthy adults. They follow basic safety procedures, called
Standard Microbiological Practices and require no special equipment or design
features. Standard engineering controls in BSL-1 laboratories include easily cleaned
surfaces that are able to withstand the basic chemicals used in the laboratory.

The research is carried out on the benches without any special contaminant
equipment. The biosafety level 1 facility are as follows:
• mechanical pipetting
• safe handling of sharps
• avoiding splashes or aerosols
• washing hands
• prohibition on drinking, smoking and food in the laboratories
• signs of biohazards
• protective equipment such as gloves, goggles, lab coats, gowns
All the infectious materials should be decontaminated before being disposed of.

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Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2)
BSL-2 laboratories are used to study moderate-risk infectious agents or toxins that
pose a risk if accidentally inhaled, swallowed, or exposed to the skin. Design
requirements for BSL-2 laboratories include hand washing sinks, eye washing
stations in case of accidents, and doors that close automatically and lock. BSL-2
labs must also have access to equipment that can decontaminate laboratory waste,
including an incinerator, an autoclave, and/or another method, depending on the
biological risk assessment.

The following practices should be carried out in a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory:

• Use of protective equipment such as goggles, glasses, face shields, etc.
• The procedures that can cause infections are carried out in biological safety
cabinets.
• The waste material should be decontaminated before disposal.
• An eyewash and a sink should be readily available.
• Biohazard signs should be provided.

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Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-
3)
BSL-3 laboratories are used to study infectious agents or toxins that may be
transmitted through the air and cause potentially lethal infection through inhalation
exposure. Researchers perform all experiments in biosafety cabinets that use carefully
controlled air flow or sealed enclosures to prevent infection. BSL-3 laboratories are
designed to be easily decontaminated. These laboratories must use controlled, or
“directional,” air flow to ensure that air flows from non-laboratory areas (such as the
hallway) into laboratory areas as an additional safety measure.
Other engineered safety features include the use of two self-closing, or interlocked,
doors, sealed windows and wall surfaces, and filtered ventilation systems. BSL-3 labs
must also have access to equipment that can decontaminate laboratory waste,
including an incinerator, an autoclave, and/or another method, depending on the
biological risk assessment.

The common requirements in a BSL 3 laboratory include:

• Protective equipment including respirators is required.
• All the work should be performed under proper biosafety cabinets.
• The door should have access away from the general building.
• The researchers are under medical surveillance and are immunized against certain
microbes.
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Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4)
BSL-4 laboratories are used to study infectious agents or toxins that pose a high risk of aerosol-
transmitted laboratory infections and life-threatening disease for which no vaccine or therapy is
available. The laboratories incorporate all BSL 3 features and occupy safe, isolated zones within a
larger building or may be housed in a separate, dedicated building. Access to BSL-4 laboratories is
carefully controlled and requires significant training.
There are two types of BSL-4 laboratories:
Cabinet laboratory – all work with infectious agents or toxins is done in a Class III Biosafety Cabinet​
with very carefully designed procedures to contain any potential contamination. In addition, the
laboratory space is designed to also prevent contamination of other spaces.

Suit laboratory – Laboratory personnel are required to wear full-body, air-supplied suits, which are
the most sophisticated type of personal protective equipment​. All personnel shower before exiting
the laboratory and go through a series of procedures designed to fully decontaminate them before
leaving.
The engineering controls required are different for BSL-4 cabinet and suit laboratories. For either
type, they are extensive and supplemented by carefully designed procedures and practices.

The common requirements in a biosafety level 4 laboratory are as follows:

• The researchers should change their clothes and shower while exiting.
• All the materials should be decontaminated.
• All the experiments should be carried out under class III safety cabinets.
The laboratory is isolated present in a separate building and the entry to this zone is restricted.

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Key Biosafety Measures
o Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
o First Aid Box and Spill Kits
o Specimen Transports
o Specimen Reception, Processing and Analysis
o Good Microbiological Practices and Procedures (GMPP)
o Decontamination and Waste Management
o Training and Awareness.

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 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Laboratory staff must ensure the wearing of the following:
 Laboratory Coats must be long sleeves, preferably with elasticized filled cuffs.
The coats must be long enough to cover the knees, but not trial on the floor
where possible, the fabric of the coat should be splash resistant and overlap to
provide a solid front. When not in use, they should be stored appropriately;
they should not be hung on top of other lab coats or in lockers or hooks with
personals items. Also they are not to be washed with other clothes when
needed to be washed.

 Appropriate disposable gloves must be worn for all procedures which is

related to clinical samples.

 Safety glasses, safety googles, face shields (visors) or other protective devices
must be worn whenever it is necessary to protect the eye and face from
splashes.

 Footwears must be worn in the laboratory and must be of a design that

minimizes slips and trips and reduce the likelihood of injury from fallen
objects.
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First Aid Box
A first aid box, also known as a first aid kit, is a container that holds supplies and
equipment for treating minor injuries and providing basic care. Hospitals may have
emergency first aid kits to provide care to injured patients in the aftermath of a
disaster. These kits may include:
• Provisions for minor injuries and illnesses.
• Life-saving equipment for severe injuries.
• Resources for longer-term issues, such as wound care or minor illnesses.
Basic items
Basic items on a first aid kit consists of:
Adhesive dressings and bandages
Antiseptic solution (most commonly povidone iodine or hydrogen peroxide)
Cotton balls or swabs
Emergency blanket
Gauze sponge
Gloves
Hand sanitizer
Ice pack
Alcohol
Saline solution
Tweezers.
Spill Kits
A spill kit is a collection of tools and materials used to clean up, decontaminate, and
dispose of hazardous substances that have been spilled. Spill kits can help protect
people, property, and the environment.
Spill kits can contain a variety of items, including:
Absorbent materials
Containment booms
Gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE)
Waste disposal bags
Containers or bins
Brooms, shovels, or scoops
Decontamination solutions

There are different types of spill kits, including:

• General purpose spill kits
• Hazardous chemical spillage kits
• Biohazard spill kits
• Haz-mat spill kits
• Laboratory spill kits
• Mercury spill kits
• Oil spill kits
Specimen Transport
• All materials transported from wards to laboratory or
within the laboratory should be placed in secondary
container to minimize the potential breakage or a
spill.
• All specimen being transported should have
appropriate packaging, labelling and documentation
(request forms should be labelled “biohazards” for
easy identification).
• The surface of the racks where the specimens are
kept until analysis should be decontaminated. The
porters should wear personal protection equipment
during specimen transport.

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Specimen Reception, Processing and Analysis
• All personnel involved in specimen reception, processing
and analysis should wear personal protective equipment.
• The specimen should not be opened during reception and
processing e.g. during centrifugation.
• Any sample which is leaking should not be accepted.
• Ideally, centrifugation should be done in a sealed centrifuge
buckets. Loading and unloading of centrifuge buckets and
opening of specimen containers should be performed in
appropriately maintained and validated biosafety cabinet
which is (class 2) containment device, or primary
containment device with demonstrated capability. In the
absence of above facilities, centrifugation in a dedicated
area are followed by 30 minutes waiting time to open the lid
of centrifuge is recommended. Opening of the lids of the
specimen containers should be done by an experienced
person with no or minimum aerosol.
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Good Microbiological Practices And Procedures (GMPP)
When handling and processing specimen, laboratory practices and procedures
that are basic to Good Microbiological Practices And Procedures (GMPP) should
be followed.
• Treat all microorganisms as potential pathogens.
• Maintain a curated culture collection.
• Obtain fresh stock cultures of microorganisms annually.
• Sterilize equipment and materials.
• Disinfect work areas before and after use.
• Wear protection.
• Wash your hands.
• Never pipette by mouth.
• Do not eat or drink in the lab, nor store food in areas where microorganisms
are stored.
• Label everything clearly.
• Autoclave or disinfect all waste material.
• Clean up spills with care.

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Decontamination and waste management
• Any surface or material known to be or potentially
contaminated by biological agent during laboratory
operations must be correctly disinfected.
• Clinical waste must be packaged in double bags
for transfer to the facilities with contamination
capacity.
• Appropriate disinfectants with proving activity
against enveloped viruses should be used( e.g.
0.1% hypochlorite popularly known as hypo for
1% blood spills),alcohol (62-71%), 0.5% hydrogen
peroxide quatemary, ammonium compounds and
phenolic compounds.

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Training and Awareness
Regular training and awareness programs ensure
laboratory staff are knowledgeable about
biosafety protocols and procedures.

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Importance Of Biosafety
Biosafety is therefore important to ensure the safe utilization of technology.
Certain biosafety levels have been proposed for the laboratories depending upon
the pathogenicity of the microbes being worked upon. These protect the
environment and the surroundings from the hazards of such microbes.

Reduce the health-related risks associated with handling infectious agents, toxins
and other biological hazards arising from an accidental exposure or unintentional
release.

Its main objective is to keep a check on harmful biological agents, toxins,

chemicals, and radiation. With the advent of genetic engineering, biosafety
measures have gained importance to ensure public and environmental safety.

Biosafety is crucial in a chemical pathology laboratory for several reasons

• Protection from infectious agents: Chemical pathology laboratories handle
biological samples that may contain infectious agents, such as viruses, bacteria,
and fungi. Biosafety measures prevent exposure to these agents, protecting
laboratory staff from infection.
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• Prevention of laboratory-acquired infections: Laboratory-acquired infections can
occur through accidental exposure to infectious agents. Biosafety measures
minimize this risk, ensuring a safe working environment.

• Containment of biological agents: Biosafety measures prevent the release of

biological agents into the environment, reducing the risk of contamination and
potential outbreaks.

• Protection from chemical hazards: Chemical pathology laboratories also handle

hazardous chemicals. Biosafety measures, such as proper handling and disposal
procedures, prevent exposure to these chemicals.

• Compliance with regulations: Adhering to biosafety guidelines ensures

compliance with regulations and standards.

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Conclusion
Effective biosafety measures in the laboratory are
essential to protect the personnel, prevent
contamination of specimens and the
environments, also prevent the contagiousness
(directly or indirectly), and ensure accurate test
results.

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 Referenc
es Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens: Acquired
(AIDS). 1984. Interim Guidelines. London: Health and Safety Executive. [3, E, p. 17]
2.Advisory Committee on Immunization, Council of Medical Sciences. 1985. Guide for
Adult Immunizations. Philadelphia, PA: American College of Physicians. [5, D, p. 58]
3.Alexander M.T and Brandon B.A. 1986. Packaging and Shipping of Biological Materials
at the ATCC. Rockville, MD: American Type Culture Collection. [3, G, p. 21]
4.American Industrial Hygiene Association Biohazards Committee. 1985. Biohazards
Reference Manual. Akron, OH: American Industrial Hygiene Association. [Preface, p. vii],
[3, K, pp. 30, 32]
5.American Industrial Hygiene Association Biohazards Committee. 1985. Allergies. Pp.
13-19 in Biohazards Reference Manual. Akron, OH: American Industrial Hygiene
Association. [5, D, p. 57]
6.American Industrial Hygiene Association Biohazards Committee. 1985. Pp. 128-136
in Biohazards Reference Manual. Akron, OH: American Industrial Hygiene Association;
[ 3, C, p. 14 ] [Appendix D]
7.American Occupational Medical Association. 1976. Code of Ethical Conduct for
Physicians Providing Occupational Medical Services. 55 West Seegers Road, Arlington
Heights, IL 60005. [5, D, p. 59]

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THANK YOU