Biosafety and Biosecurity

The EHS program minimizes the risks of lab-acquired illness to ensure proper containment for activities utilizing biohazardous materials and to maintain compliance with regulations on recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules and biohazardous materials.

All laboratories designated as Biosafety Level 2 and above must have a lab-specific biosafety manual per federal regulations. To assist principal investigators in complying with these requirements, per ASU policies EHS 101, EHS 112 and EHS 114, the biosafety biosecurity group in EHS developed documents and templates to be incorporated into the lab-specific biosafety manual see the researcher tab below.

• ASU Autoclave manual.
• ASU Biosafety manual.
• ASU Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan.

• ABSL PPE table.
• Animal biosafety PPE requirements.
• Autoclave poster.
• Biological purchase or transfer.
• Biological waste handling.
• Biosafety PPE requirements.
• Lab-specific biosafety training.
• Large-scale research fact sheet.
• Lentivirus guidance document.
• Recombinant/synthetic nucleic acid fact sheet.
• Select agents and toxins fact sheet.
• Sharps handling and disposal fact sheet.
• Synthetic nucleic acid guidance.
• Transgenic insects fact sheet.

• Autoclave operation.
• Autoclave safety video.
• Biological safety cabinet decontamination.
• Needlestick and sharps response guide.
• Plumbing decontamination guide.

Each principal investigator engaged in biological research should have lab-specific information available that includes the following documents in addition to any supplemental materials that will augment the safe and proper handling of biohazardous materials in their laboratory.

New researchers must apply to the Institutional Biosafety Committee in the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance.

1. Every laboratory operating at BSL2 or BSL3 must have a copy of the ASU Biosafety Manual available.
2. Laboratories that work with recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules must have a copy of the NIH Guidelines Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules available.
3. It is recommended that all approved IBC disclosures be made available to laboratory personnel.
4. EHS performs annual biosafety inspections and provides a Biosafety Inspection Report to the PI, and this report should be available to laboratory personnel. PIs may also perform their own self-inspection using the biosafety inspection checklist.
5. All personnel in the lab should complete a lab-specific biosafety training checklist and keep copies available.
6. Each PI should maintain a biological inventory — of all biological organisms that may be present in the laboratory, including known hazards for each organism. Biological safety data sheets or fact sheets the manufacturer provides should also be provided when available.
7. Personnel who work with human blood, body fluids, tissues, cell lines, or any unfixed human tissue must be provided with Hepatitis B virus vaccinations that are covered by the lab and are free of charge. Refer to the Employee Health webpage for additional information.
8. A list of all emergency laboratory personnel and contact information should be recorded and made available.
9. Standard operating procedures relevant to the laboratory must be written and made available to lab personnel. Examples include the BSL-2SOP, Biosafety Cabinet SOP, and Autoclave Operation SOP. Other SOPs may be developed for emergency spill clean-up, biohazardous waste disposal, accident/incident Reporting, transporting biological materials, safe handling of sharps, post-exposure medical surveillance, or use of specific equipment in the lab.
10. A spill kit should be kept in each laboratory where work with biohazards is conducted. Spill kit contents should include disinfectant — bleach or organism-specific disinfectant, paper towels, gloves, autoclave bags, sharps container, forceps, and a broom and dustpan. A wrap-around lab coat and safety glasses should also be available.

Note: A 1:10 dilution of household bleach and water, prepared fresh daily, is effective in most situations.

Contact EHS Biosafety and Biosecurity at 480-965-1823 for more information about the selection of disinfectants, particularly for any organisms suspected of being atypical in their sensitivity to disinfectants.

Please keep these materials in your laboratory and have them available to all lab personnel. Annual biosafety inspections will require the laboratory to produce these documents per federal regulations. If you have any questions about your lab-specific Biosafety Manual, please get in touch with EHS Biosafety and Biosecurity.