Routines biosafety

Risk assessment

Work with biological agents in hazard groups 2, 3 and 4 requires risk assessment. Risk assessment must be carried out for hazard group 1 if the user believes that the work could involve a risk. This risk assessment should identify, inter alia, which activities may involve risk of infection, how the biological agent could cause infection, and what and how serious the consequences could be if workers were exposed to the agent.

Vaccination

The employer must, where needed, offer vaccination (if it exists), other medical prophylactic measures, tests and follow-up tests, if an employee could have been, or is at risk of being, exposed to infectious agents at work.

Register

The employer must keep register of employees who may have been exposed to biological agents in hazard groups 3 and 4.

Hygiene

Good personal hygiene must be observed when working with biological agents, i.e. good microbiological techniques must be used according to established procedures, and the employer must ensure that employees can wash or disinfect their hands when performing work that involves risk of infection. Moreover, special protective clothing must be worn during work that could result in exposure to biological agents. This protective clothing, e.g. a lab coat or personal protective equipment, must be removed before leaving the work area to prevent the spread of infection to other areas. Procedures must be in place for the safe disposal of protective clothing, personal protective equipment, contaminated material, equipment and waste. Decontamination must be carried out as soon as possible.

Signage

Premises, furnishings and equipment must be adapted to the activity to minimise risk of infection. Biological hazard signs showing the text “Infection risk/Biohazard” as well as the specified hazard group or protection level must be displayed at entrances to premises containing biological agents.