EH&S: Biosafety Manual - Appendices: Glossary of Terms

ABSL -: Animal Biosafety Level (1-4) (See Biosafety Level below)
Antisepsis -: The application of a liquid antimicrobial chemical to living tissue to prevent growth or destroy potentially infectious organisms.
APHIS -: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
ASC -: Animal Subjects Committee
ASHRAE -: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers
BBP -: (See Bloodborne Pathogen)
Biohazard -: (See Biohazardous Materials)
Biohazardous Materials -: Hazardous biological materials and organisms, including: a) infectious organisms (bacteria, fungi, parasites, prions, rickettsias, viruses, etc.) which can cause disease in healthy humans and/or significant environmental or agricultural impact; b) human or primate tissues, fluids, cells, or cell culture; c) recombinant DNA; and d) animals known to be vectors of zoonotic diseases.
Biosafety Cabinet or Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) -: A devise enclosed (except for necessary exhaust purposes) on three sides and top and bottom, designed to draw air inward by means of mechanical ventilation, operated with insertion of only the hands and arms of the user, and in which virulent pathogens are used. BSCs are classified as: Class I - Provides personnel and environmental protection but no product protection, the exhaust is HEPA-filtered; Class II - Provides personnel, product and environmental protection; Class III - Totally enclosed (glove box) ventilated cabinet with gas-tight construction.
Biosafety Level (BSL) -: Combinations of laboratory practices and techniques, safety equipment, and laboratory facilities appropriate for the operations performed and are based on the potential hazards imposed by the agents used and for the laboratory function and activity. BSL 1 provides the least stringent containment conditions and BSL 4 the most stringent.
Bloodborne Pathogen -: Microorganisms that are present in human/primate blood, tissues or fluids and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
BMBL -: CDC and NIH publication, “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories” (4th Ed., 1999)
BSC -: (See Biosafety Cabinet)
BSL -: Biosafety Level
BSO -: Biosafety Officer
BUA -: Biological Use Authorization (application or number)
CCR -: California Code of Regulations
CDC -: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Chemical Fumehoods -: Designed solely to protect the individual from exposure to chemicals and noxious gases. Since chemical fumehoods are not equipped with HEPA filters, they must not be used for work with biohazardous materials.
Containment -: Safe methods for managing infectious agents in the laboratory environment where they are being handled or maintained. The purpose of containment is to reduce or eliminate exposure of laboratory workers, other persons and the environment to potentially hazardous agents.
Decontamination -: Routinely required step of destroying/inactivating microorganisms in microbiological laboratories to protect laboratory workers and prevent contamination of their work. This is the destruction or removal of microorganisms to some lower level, but not necessarily total destruction. Sterilization, disinfection and antisepsis are all forms of decontamination.
DGR -: Dangerous Goods Regulations
DHHS -: Department of Health and Human Services
Disinfection -: Implies the use of antimicrobial agents on inanimate objects (e.g., work surfaces, equipment, etc.) to destroy all organisms that could pose a potential hazard to humans or compromise the integrity of the experiment.
DNA -: Deoxyribonucleic Acid
DOC -: Department of Commerce
DOT -: Department of Transportation
ECP -: Exposure Control Plan
EHS -: Environmental Health and Safety
Etiologic Agent -: Biological agents that cause disease in humans or animals.
Exposure Control Plan -: A written document of practices and procedures, required equipment and facilities designed to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to infectious agents or biohazardous materials.
FDA -: Food and Drug Administration
Gene Therapy -: The delivery of exogenous DNA to mammalian cells to cause the expression of this material thereby altering the cells phenotypically.
GMO -: Genetically Modified Organism
HBV -: Hepatitis B Virus
HCV -: Hepatitis C Virus
HEPA -: High Efficiency Particulate Air filters have an efficiency of 99.97% for particles of 0.3 microns. BSCs filter air through one of more sets of HEPA filters.
HIV -: Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HSC -: Human Subjects Committee
IACUC -: Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
IATA -: International Air Transport Association
IIPP -: Injury and Illness Prevention Program
Infectious Agent -: Microorganism capable of producing an infection and disease in a healthy human.
Infectious Substance -: (Same as Etiologic agent)
IBC -: Institutional Biosafety Committee
IRB -: Institutional Review Board
Medical Waste -: A legislative term for a type of waste which is neither biohazardous nor infectious, but which (to the uninformed observer) may appear to be biohazardous. Examples include autoclaved waste, waste generated by a biomedical laboratory which does NOT work with biohazardous materials.
NIH -: National Institutes of Health
NIOSH -: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
OSHA -: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OPIM -: Other Potentially Infectious Materials
Pathogen -: Microorganism or substance capable of producing disease
PHS -: Public Health Service
PPE -: Personal Protective Equipment
PI -: (See Principal Investigator)
Principal Investigator -: Faculty in charge of the space in which the work is being performed.
R-DNA -: (See Recombinant DNA)
Recombinant DNA -: a) molecules that are constructed outside living cells by joining natural or synthetic DNA segments to DNA molecules that can replicate in a living cell, or b) molecules that result from replication of those described in a) above.
RG -: Risk Group (1-4)
RNA -: Ribonucleic Acid
RO -: Responsible Official
RSC -: Radiation Safety Committee
SOP -: Standard Operating Procedure
Sterilization -: Process of cleaning and steam or gas autoclaving materials such that the latter will consistently produce negative results when tested with biological indicators.
Universal Precautions -: Refers to the infection-control method in which all human/primate blood, tissues, and/or fluids are treated as if they are known to be infectious. Universal precautions do not normally apply to the handling of feces, nasal secretions, sputum, sweat, tears, urine and vomitus unless they contain visible blood or other potentially infectious material.
USDA -: United States Department of Agriculture
USPS -: United States Postal Service
UV -: Ultraviolet radiation
Zoonotic Diseases -: Disease communicable from animals to humans under natural conditions.


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	Environmental Health and Safety SDSU Biosafety Manual San Diego State University BIOHAZARD CONTROL PROGRAM Appendices Glossary of Terms ABSL - Animal Biosafety Level (1-4) (See Biosafety Level below) Antisepsis - The application of a liquid antimicrobial chemical to living tissue to prevent growth or destroy potentially infectious organisms. APHIS - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ASC - Animal Subjects Committee ASHRAE - American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers BBP - (See Bloodborne Pathogen) Biohazard - (See Biohazardous Materials) Biohazardous Materials - Hazardous biological materials and organisms, including: a) infectious organisms (bacteria, fungi, parasites, prions, rickettsias, viruses, etc.) which can cause disease in healthy humans and/or significant environmental or agricultural impact; b) human or primate tissues, fluids, cells, or cell culture; c) recombinant DNA; and d) animals known to be vectors of zoonotic diseases. Biosafety Cabinet or Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) - A devise enclosed (except for necessary exhaust purposes) on three sides and top and bottom, designed to draw air inward by means of mechanical ventilation, operated with insertion of only the hands and arms of the user, and in which virulent pathogens are used. BSCs are classified as: Class I - Provides personnel and environmental protection but no product protection, the exhaust is HEPA-filtered; Class II - Provides personnel, product and environmental protection; Class III - Totally enclosed (glove box) ventilated cabinet with gas-tight construction. Biosafety Level (BSL) - Combinations of laboratory practices and techniques, safety equipment, and laboratory facilities appropriate for the operations performed and are based on the potential hazards imposed by the agents used and for the laboratory function and activity. BSL 1 provides the least stringent containment conditions and BSL 4 the most stringent. Bloodborne Pathogen - Microorganisms that are present in human/primate blood, tissues or fluids and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). BMBL - CDC and NIH publication, “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories” (4th Ed., 1999) BSC - (See Biosafety Cabinet) BSL - Biosafety Level BSO - Biosafety Officer BUA - Biological Use Authorization (application or number) CCR - California Code of Regulations CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chemical Fumehoods - Designed solely to protect the individual from exposure to chemicals and noxious gases. Since chemical fumehoods are not equipped with HEPA filters, they must not be used for work with biohazardous materials. Containment - Safe methods for managing infectious agents in the laboratory environment where they are being handled or maintained. The purpose of containment is to reduce or eliminate exposure of laboratory workers, other persons and the environment to potentially hazardous agents. Decontamination - Routinely required step of destroying/inactivating microorganisms in microbiological laboratories to protect laboratory workers and prevent contamination of their work. This is the destruction or removal of microorganisms to some lower level, but not necessarily total destruction. Sterilization, disinfection and antisepsis are all forms of decontamination. DGR - Dangerous Goods Regulations DHHS - Department of Health and Human Services Disinfection - Implies the use of antimicrobial agents on inanimate objects (e.g., work surfaces, equipment, etc.) to destroy all organisms that could pose a potential hazard to humans or compromise the integrity of the experiment. DNA - Deoxyribonucleic Acid DOC - Department of Commerce DOT - Department of Transportation ECP - Exposure Control Plan EHS - Environmental Health and Safety Etiologic Agent - Biological agents that cause disease in humans or animals. Exposure Control Plan - A written document of practices and procedures, required equipment and facilities designed to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to infectious agents or biohazardous materials. FDA - Food and Drug Administration Gene Therapy - The delivery of exogenous DNA to mammalian cells to cause the expression of this material thereby altering the cells phenotypically. GMO - Genetically Modified Organism HBV - Hepatitis B Virus HCV - Hepatitis C Virus HEPA - High Efficiency Particulate Air filters have an efficiency of 99.97% for particles of 0.3 microns. BSCs filter air through one of more sets of HEPA filters. HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus HSC - Human Subjects Committee IACUC - Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee IATA - International Air Transport Association IIPP - Injury and Illness Prevention Program Infectious Agent - Microorganism capable of producing an infection and disease in a healthy human. Infectious Substance - (Same as Etiologic agent) IBC - Institutional Biosafety Committee IRB - Institutional Review Board Medical Waste - A legislative term for a type of waste which is neither biohazardous nor infectious, but which (to the uninformed observer) may appear to be biohazardous. Examples include autoclaved waste, waste generated by a biomedical laboratory which does NOT work with biohazardous materials. NIH - National Institutes of Health NIOSH - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration OPIM - Other Potentially Infectious Materials Pathogen - Microorganism or substance capable of producing disease PHS - Public Health Service PPE - Personal Protective Equipment PI - (See Principal Investigator) Principal Investigator - Faculty in charge of the space in which the work is being performed. R-DNA - (See Recombinant DNA) Recombinant DNA - a) molecules that are constructed outside living cells by joining natural or synthetic DNA segments to DNA molecules that can replicate in a living cell, or b) molecules that result from replication of those described in a) above. RG - Risk Group (1-4) RNA - Ribonucleic Acid RO - Responsible Official RSC - Radiation Safety Committee SOP - Standard Operating Procedure Sterilization - Process of cleaning and steam or gas autoclaving materials such that the latter will consistently produce negative results when tested with biological indicators. Universal Precautions - Refers to the infection-control method in which all human/primate blood, tissues, and/or fluids are treated as if they are known to be infectious. Universal precautions do not normally apply to the handling of feces, nasal secretions, sputum, sweat, tears, urine and vomitus unless they contain visible blood or other potentially infectious material. USDA - United States Department of Agriculture USPS - United States Postal Service UV - Ultraviolet radiation Zoonotic Diseases - Disease communicable from animals to humans under natural conditions.
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Environmental Health and Safety

SDSU Biosafety Manual

Appendices Glossary of Terms

Appendices
Glossary of Terms