BL 2 Safety Procedures Information Sheet

	Biosafety Level 2 is similar to Level 1 and is suitable for work involving agents of moderate potential hazard to personnel and the environment.  It differs in that  laboratory personnel have specific training in handling pathogenic agents and are directed by competent scientists, access to the laboratory is limited when work is being conducted, and certain procedures in which infectious aerosols are created are conducted in biological safety cabinets or other physical containment equipment.

The following standard and special practices, safety equipment, and facilities apply to agents assigned to Biosafety Level 2.
(These requirements are in addition to the NIH Guidelines, Appendix G.II.B.)  For additional guidance, refer to http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/biosfty/bmbl4/bmbl4s3.htm

Laboratory Safety Procedures List – Biosafety Level 2

1.	Only persons who have been advised of the potential hazard, who are not at increased risk of acquiring infection and meet any specific entry requirements (e.g., immunization) may enter the laboratory or animal rooms.  The laboratory director will limit access to the laboratory by ________________________________________________________________________________.

2.	A biosafety manual and/or special safety operating procedures (SOPs) for the BL2 agents and equipment used are prepared and adopted.  All personnel potentially exposed to the BL2 agent are required to read the biosafety manual/SOPs and to follow them.

3.	A hazard warning sign is posted outside of the laboratory when BL2 experimentation is conducted.  The hazard warning sign identifies the infectious agent, name and telephone number of the laboratory director and/or other responsible person and indicates special requirements for entering the laboratory (such as immunization).  For a sample sign, refer to Biosafety-Level-sign.jpg

4.	All potentially infectious wastes from laboratories and animal rooms are properly decontaminated prior to disposal.  Contaminated materials that are to be decontaminated at a site away from the laboratory are placed in a durable leak-proof container which is closed before being removed from the laboratory and are stored in a secure location prior to decontamination.  Liquid biological wastes will be decontaminated using _________________________________________.  Solid biological wastes will be decontaminated by _________________________ located in ________________________________________.

5.	Work surfaces will be decontaminated using the following disinfectant(s)    _________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________.

6.	Personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn to protect eyes, mucous membranes and skin from contamination.  The following PPE is required for the rDNA agents in use: ___________________________________________________.  Before leaving the laboratory for non-laboratory areas, protective clothing is removed and left in the laboratory or covered with a clean coat not used in the laboratory.  Upon leaving the laboratory, protective clothing is stored (or disposed) _________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________.

7.	Operations such as pipetting, mixing, shaking, grinding, sonicating, flaming, and centrifuging have a high potential for aerosol formation.  All procedures involving these operations are performed carefully to minimize the creation of aerosols.

8.	Mechanical pipetting devices shall be used; mouth pipetting is prohibited.

9.	Eating, drinking, application of cosmetics, and the storage of food and drink are prohibited from the laboratory.  Food storage refrigerators and cabinets are located outside of the laboratory.

10.	Persons wash their hands after handling infectious materials and animals and when they leave the laboratory.

11.	Biological safety cabinets (a.k.a., tissue culture hoods or laminar flow hoods) are appropriate containment devices to be used during procedures creating aerosols or while using high concentrations or large volumes of BL2 materials.  The following procedures will be conducted in a biological safety cabinet: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Laboratory Safety Procedures List – Biosafety Level 2  (continued)

12.	Spills and accidents which result in potential exposure to infectious materials are immediately reported to the laboratory director and the Institutional Biosafety Officer.  Spills are cleaned up using the disinfectant listed in item 3 above.  Medical evaluation and treatment are provided by Occupational Health Services.

13.	Animals not involved in the work being performed are not permitted in the laboratory.

14.	* Sharp items, such as syringes and scalpels, should be avoided to prevent the potential for autoinoculation of the laboratory worker.  The following sharp items will be used: _________________________________.  The following procedures are employed to prevent sharps injury ________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________.

15.	* Baseline and periodic serum samples are collected from all persons potentially exposed to the BL2 agent.

*include if applicable