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Laboratory Biosafety

Biological materials, pathogenic and nonpathogenic, are used and cultured in many laboratory procedures. The presence of bacteria, viruses and fungi present potential health hazards to individuals using the material and requires specific disposal methods to render the materials noninfectious. Investigators proposing to use these materials may require authorization from the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). Information about the IBC and its procedures are published by the Office of Research.

The EVMS Biosafety Procedures Manual is the primary source of information on biosafety at the school. It contains guidance on containment, disposal procedures and laboratory handling procedures for organisms in Biosafety Levels (BSL) I through IV. EVMS currently has facilities for BSL I and II. The CDC Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), 5^th ed., is currently available. It is available as a chapter-by-chapter download from the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) Web site. Alternatively, EH&S has assembled the complete manual for your convenience. For more information, please visit the CDC's Biosafety page.

Protocols that include evaluation of blood and blood components in clinical laboratories are not reviewed by the Biosafety Committee, but are subject to procedures described in the EVMS Exposure Control Plan. This plan incorporates OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910.1030, regarding transmission of HIV and HBV by blood and other potentially infectious materials.