 |
|
|
|
Animal Biosafety Level 1 (ABSL1)
Animal Biosafety Level 1 (ABSL-1) is suitable for work involving well
characterized agents that are not known to cause disease in healthy
adult humans, and that are of minimal potential hazard to laboratory
personnel and the environment.
A. Standard Practices
- The animal facility director establishes
policies, procedures, and protocols for emergency situations. Each
project is subject to pre-approval by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
and the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).
Any special practices are approved at this time.
- Only those persons required for program or
support purposes are authorized to enter the facility. Before
entering, persons are advised of the potential biohazards and are
instructed on the appropriate safeguards.
- An appropriate medical surveillance program is
in place.
- A safety manual is prepared or adopted.
Personnel are advised of special hazards, and are required to read and
follow instructions on practices and procedures.
- Eating, drinking, smoking, handling contact
lenses, applying cosmetics, and storing food for human use should only
be done in designated areas and are not permitted in animal or
procedure rooms.
- All procedures are carefully performed to
minimize the creation of aerosols or splatters.
- Work surfaces are decontaminated after use or
after any spill of viable materials.
- All wastes from the animal room (including
animal tissues, carcasses, and contaminated bedding) are transported
from the animal room in leak-proof, covered containers for appropriate
disposal in compliance with applicable institutional or local
requirements. Incineration is recommended.
- Policies for the safe handling of sharps are
instituted.
- Personnel wash their hands after handling
cultures and animals, after removing gloves, and before leaving the
animal facility.
- A biohazard sign must be posted on the entrance
to the animal room whenever infectious agents are present. The
hazard warning sign identifies the infectious agent(s) in use, lists
the name and telephone number of the responsible person(s), and
indicates the special requirements for entering the animal room (e.g.,
the need for immunizations and respirators).
- An insect and rodent control program is in
effect (see
BMBL 4th edition: Appendix G).
B. Special Practices None
C. Safety Equipment (Primary Barriers)
- The wearing of laboratory
coats, gowns, and/or uniforms in the facility is recommended.
Laboratory coats remain in the animal room. Gowns and uniforms
are not worn outside the facility.
- Persons having contact with
non-human primates should assess their risk of mucous membrane exposure
and wear appropriate eye and face protection.
D. Laboratory Facilities
(Secondary Barriers)
- The animal facility is
separated from areas that are open to unrestricted personnel traffic
within the building.
- External facility doors are
self-closing and self-locking. Doors to animal rooms open inward,
are self-closing, and are kept closed when experimental animals are
present. Cubicle room inner doors may open outward or be
horizontal or vertical sliding.
- The animal facility is
designed, constructed, and maintained to facilitate cleaning and
housekeeping. The interior surfaces (walls, floors, and ceilings)
are water resistant
- Internal facility appurtenances,
such as light fixtures, air ducts, and utility pipes, are arranged to
minimize horizontal surface areas.
- Windows are not recommended.
Any windows must be resistant to breakage. Where possible,
windows should be sealed. If the animal facility has windows
that open, they are fitted with fly screens.
- If floor drains are provided,
the traps are always filled with water and/or an appropriate
disinfectant.
- Ventilation should be provided
in accordance with the Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals,
latest edition. No recirculation of exhaust air should occur.
It is recommended that animal rooms maintain negative pressure
compared to adjoining hallways.
- The facility has a hand washing
sink.
- Cages are washed manually or in
a cage washer. The mechanical cage washer should have a final
rinse temperature of at least 180F.
- Illumination is adequate for all
activities, avoiding reflections and glare that could impede vision.
Reproduced from "Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical
Laboratories, BMBL 4th Edition" with permission from the Center for
Disease Control (CDC). |
|
|
|
