Environmental Health & Safety

a. Laboratory doors shall always be kept closed.

b. Contaminated materials that are to be decontaminated away from the work area shall be placed in a durable, leakproof container that is closed before being removed from the work area.

c. Access to the work area shall be limited to authorized personnel only. An access control procedure should be established whereby only persons who have been advised of the nature of the potential biohazard, and who comply with entry and exit procedures, shall be allowed to enter the work areas and animal rooms.

d. Hazard warning signs incorporating the universal biohazard symbol shall be posted on all access doors. The sign shall identify the name of the infectious agent, special requirements for entering the area and the name and telephone number of the PI, laboratory manager or responsible person.

e. ALL activities involving potentially infectious materials shall be conducted in BSCs or other physical-containment devices within the containment area. NO WORK SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN OPEN VESSELS ON THE OPEN BENCH.

f. Laboratory coats, gowns, smocks or other protective clothing shall be used in the work area and animal rooms. Protective clothing shall not be worn outside of the area. Single use or disposable protective clothing shall be removed and disposed prior to leaving the work area.

g. Avoid skin contact with infectious materials or infected animals. Gloves shall be worn.

h. ALL potentially infected waste from work areas, including animal rooms, shall be placed in red bags and transported to designated collection sites for disposal contractor incineration.

i. Vacuum lines shall be protected with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters and liquid disinfectant traps.

j. Only needle locking syringes or disposable syringe-needle units shall be used for parenteral injection and aspiration of fluids or infectious materials from laboratory animals and diaphragm bottles. Needles or other sharps are prohibited for use in BSL 3 containment areas. Extreme caution should be used when handling needles and syringes to avoid autoinoculation or the generation of aerosols during use and disposal.

k. Spills and accidents that result in exposures of employees to potentially infectious materials shall be immediately reported to the laboratory manager and EH&S.

l. Supervisors shall ensure that laboratory personnel are advised of the potential hazards and procedures to control those hazards. An Exposure Control Plan should be prepared for each laboratory involved in HIV, HBV or HCV handling. The Exposure Control Plan shall be required reading for all laboratory personnel. In addition, laboratory personnel shall read and comply with the practices and procedures described in the “SDSU Biohazard Control Program Manual” and other pertinent procedures.

a. Certified BSCs — Class II or III or other appropriate combinations of personal protection or physical containment devices shall be used for all activities with potentially infectious materials that pose a threat of exposure to droplets, splashes, spills or aerosols. BSCs must be certified (according to NSF 49 Standards) upon installation, whenever they are moved and at least annually or more often as determined.

b. Each laboratory must contain a sink for handwashing.

c. An autoclave for decontamination of infectious laboratory wastes shall be available.