BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

By Group 9
Jay-R Eleazar
Carlo James Diccion
Danica Apostol
John Wilner Directo
 No workplace is immune from biological hazards.
They can appear and disappear due to a variety
of factors so it is important for one to be
prepared for them in the workplace. A biological
safety hazard is a substance produced by an
organism that may pose a threat to human health.
How to know if something is a biological hazard
Any risk that comes from the biosphere – people, plants, and animals – can be considered
biological hazards. Some examples of biological hazards are:
Mold and Fungi
Blood and Body Fluids
Sewage
Airborne pathogens such as the common cold
Stinging insects
Harmful plants
Animal and Bird Droppings
Once biological hazards have been identified, it is important to put together a safety plan to
mitigate the risks. While putting together this plan the organizer should consult employees in the
workplace as well as answer the following questions.
Questions to ask about biological hazards when
assessing your workplace
Are my employees working around other people who may have a
contagious disease or sickness?
Do my employees work with or around animals and insects?
Is the workspace clean and clear of mold and fungi?
Will my employees be working around potentially hazardous pathogens
or biological materials such as sewage?
If my employees are around biological hazards, do they have the
proper protective equipment to be safe?
Are there any “sharp” materials that need to be cleaned regularly
and properly and/or disposed of safely and securely?
What to do once you have identified biological hazards have
been identified:

Once you have identified biological hazards in the workplace it is important to

eliminate as many as possible as well as reduce their risk to employees. By
implementing controls in the workplace, the risk of biological hazards can be
greatly reduced and in some cases, eliminated completely. Two types of controls
that can be used to address biological hazards are administrative and
engineering controls.
 Administrative vs. engineering controls
Engineering controls reduce risk through
physical means. Some examples of
engineering controls for biological hazards
are: regular cleaning of the workplace,
pest prevention/extermination, requiring
that safety equipment be used and worn,
and proper disposal of materials and items
that may pose a biological risk.
Administrative controls reduce risk by
changing work processes and activities to
make them more safe. Some examples of
administrative controls include allowing
proper sick leave to employees, providing
immunization programs, and limiting
exposure to potential biological safety
hazards and training staff to work safely
around them.
 BIOLOGICAL SAFETY LEVEL
Biological Safety Levels (BSL) are a series of protections relegated to autoclave-
related activities that take place in particular biological labs. They are individual
safeguards designed to protect laboratory personnel, as well as the surrounding
environment and community.

BSL 1
biosafety level 1 applies to laboratory settings in
which personnel work with low-risk microbes that
pose little to no threat of infection in healthy adults.
BSL 2
covers laboratories that work with agents
associated with human diseases (i.e. pathogenic or
infections organisms) that pose a moderate health
hazard.

BSL 3
typically includes work on microbes that are either
indigenous or exotic, and can cause serious or
potentially lethal disease through inhalation.
BSL 4
consists of work with highly dangerous and exotic
microbes. Infections caused by these types of
microbes are frequently fatal, and come without
treatment or vaccines.
 BioSafety Level 1
This laboratory setting typically consists of research taking place on benches without the
use of special contaminant equipment. A BSL-1 lab, which is not required to be isolated from
surrounding facilities, houses activities that require only standard microbial practices, such
as:
Mechanical pipetting only (no mouth pipetting allowed)
Safe sharps handling
Avoidance of splashes or aerosols
Daily decontamination of all work surfaces when work is complete
Hand washing
Prohibition of food, drink and smoking materials in lab setting
Personal protective equipment, such as; eye protection, gloves and a lab coat or gown
Biohazard signs
 BioSafety Level 2
BSL-2 laboratories maintain the same standard microbial practices as BSL-1 labs, but also
includes enhanced measures due to the potential risk of the aforementioned microbes.
Personnel working in BSL-2 labs are expected to take even greater care to prevent injuries
such as cuts and other breaches of the skin, as well as ingestion and mucous membrane
exposures.
In addition to BSL 1 expectation, the following practices are required in a BSL 2 lab setting:
Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn, including lab coats and
gloves. Eye protection and face shields can also be worn, as needed.
All procedures that can cause infection from aerosols or splashes are performed within a
biological safety cabinet (BSC).
An autoclave or an alternative method of decontamination is available for proper disposals.
The laboratory has self-closing, lockable doors.
A sink and eyewash station should be readily available.
Biohazard warning signs
 BioSafety Level 3
The microbes are so serious that the work is often strictly controlled and registered with
the appropriate government agencies. Laboratory personnel are also under medical
surveillance and could receive immunizations for microbes they work with.
Common requirements in a BSL-3 laboratory include:
Standard personal protective equipment must be worn, and respirators might be
required
Solid-front wraparound gowns, scrub suits or coveralls are often required
All work with microbes must be performed within an appropriate BSC
Access hands-free sink and eyewash are available near the exit
Sustained directional airflow to draw air into the laboratory from clean areas towards
potentially contaminated areas (Exhaust air cannot be re-circulated)
A self closing set of locking doors with access away from general building corridors
 BioSafety Level 4
Infections caused by these types of microbes are frequently fatal, and come
without treatment or vaccines. Two examples of such microbes include Ebola and
Marburg viruses.
In addition to BSL-3 considerations, BSL-4 laboratories have the following
containment requirements:
Personnel are required to change clothing before entering, shower upon
exiting
Decontamination of all materials before exiting
Personnel must wear appropriate personal protective equipment from prior
BSL levels, as well as a full body, air-supplied, positive pressure suit
A Class III biological safety cabinet
 viruses, such as toxins from
Coronavirus (COVID-
19) and Japanese biological
encephalitis sources

Bio-active TYPES OF BIOHAZARDS Spores

substances.

Pathogenic
micro-organisms Fungi
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
is specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee
to provide protection against a hazard (e.g., infectious
agents and toxins). General work clothes (e.g., uniform,
pants, shirts, blouses) are not intended to function as
protection against a hazard and are not considered to
be PPE.

BIOSAFETY
CORE PPE
Laboratory Coats
Laboratory coats are
designed to prevent personal
clothing from becoming
splashed or contaminated by
biological and/or chemical
materials
Gloves Eye protection
Appropriate gloves must be
worn for all procedures that
Safety glasses, safety goggles,
face shields (visors) or other
may involve planned or protective devices must be worn
inadvertent contact with
blood, body fluids and other
potential or known infectious
whenever it is necessary to
protect the eyes and face from
splashes, flying objects and
materials. artificial ultraviolet radiation
Footwear
It must be of a design that
minimizes slips and trips and can
prevent injury from falling objects.
Footwear should cover the top of
the foot, and should be well
fitting and comfortable to allow
personnel to perform their tasks
without their feet hurting.
PPE FOR HEIGHTENED CONTROL MEASURES
Laboratory coats and additional body protection Heightened control
measures may require the following additions or alternatives to normal
laboratory coats:
laboratory coats that overlap at the front, which provide extra
protection against splashes and spills;
alternative protective clothing, such as gowns and coveralls with a
zip flap for protection against splashes;
an additional apron, fluid-resistant laboratory coat and/or
disposable fluid-resistant sleeves, for example, for procedures where
the possibility of large splashes cannot be discounted;
scrubs or other dedicated laboratory protective clothing, for
example, to prevent contamination of personal clothing;
appropriate decontamination of laboratory coats and other
reusable items (for example, by autoclaving) before laundering.
 APRONS

Additional hazard-specific splash

protection may be required for
certain procedures, such as,
removing specimens from liquid
nitrogen, when handling liquid
chemicals, during autopsy, or
where large volumes of liquid are
being handled.
 GOWNS

Gowns offer a similar range of

coverage as laboratory coats,
although generally they are solid-
front, back-closing garments with
elasticized cuffs that can be worn
on top of personal clothing or
scrubs.
 COVERALLS

Coveralls cover the whole

body and are generally worn
on top of scrubs or personal
clothes. Depending on the
quality, they may be disposable
or reused if properly
decontaminated.
 FOOTWEAR
Footwear may need to be changed
before entering the laboratory if: there
is a requirement to prevent cross
contamination (alternatively disposable
overshoes may be worn); personal
footwear is inappropriate for working
in the laboratory (for example, open-
toed footwear or high heels); or
specific splash protection is required.
 GLOVES

Additional gloves (for example, double

gloving, cut-resistant gloves) may be
required for some activities. These
activities may include: animal work;
work with concentrated liquid waste
material; where a two-step
decontamination process is used; or
removal of contaminated PPE
 EYE
PROTECTION

Eye protection is required in the

same circumstances as outlined in
the core requirements. However,
these items need to be compatible
with respiratory protection, if
worn.
 RESPIRATORY
PROTECTION

Respiratory protective equipment

is a form of PPE designed to
protect the wearer from inhaling
particles that contain biological
agents that may be present in
the air or generated during
certain laboratory procedures.
 PPE FOR MAXIMUM
CONTAINMENT MEASURES
Most laboratory work will be done using core requirements or with
heightened control measures. However, in exceptional circumstances, the risk
assessment may necessitate the use of a maximum containment facility to
control risks to personnel and the wider community. Maximum containment
facilities will only be required where biological agents of high consequence are
used for work that presents an increased likelihood of exposure or release,
or in accordance with national regulations.
 CABINET LINE FACILITIES

Depending on the risk assessment, a complete change

of clothing may be required before entering the
laboratory. All jewellery must be removed. Laboratory
clothing may include undergarments, pants, shirts,
scrub suits, jumpsuits, disposable coveralls or
laboratory coats (tie-back or wrap-around gowns).
Disposable gloves must be worn to protect the
operator in case of a tear in the cabinet glove. Eye,
face and respiratory protection may be needed in
addition, if this is an effective means of protection
according to the risk assessment.
POSITIVE-PRESSURE SUITS
Positive-pressure suits are fully encapsulating items of
PPE that provide a total barrier between laboratory
personnel and the surrounding laboratory environment.
They consist of a full-body suit, made of hard-wearing
material, with an integral visor and footwear, external
air hose, internal air delivery system, and open cuffs
where durable gloves are attached and changed on a
regular basis. Unlike other forms of PPE that allow the
wearer relative freedom of movement within a
laboratory space, positive-pressure suits require that
users maintain a nearly constant, direct connection with
the air supply of the facility through an attached hose.
 L HAZARD
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BIOLOGICAL HAZARD SYMBOL
A biological hazard symbol is used internationally to
indicate the actual or potential presence of a
biohazard and to identify equipment, containers,
rooms, materials, experimental animals or combinations
thereof can be obtained commercially and placed upon
a placard that is large enough for the symbol
together with other appropriate information
BIOLOGICAL HAZARD SYMBOL
The symbol is a fluorescent orange or an orange-red
color. There is no requirement for the background
color as long as there is sufficient contrast to permit
the symbol to be clearly defined. The symbol shall be
as prominent as practical, of a size consistent with
the size of the equipment or material to which it is
affixed, and easily seen from as many directions as
possible.
BIOLOGICAL HAZARD SYMBOL
The biohazard symbol is used or displayed only to
signify the actual or potential presence of a biological
hazard. Appropriate wording may be used in
association with the symbol to indicate the nature or
identity of the hazard, name of individual responsible
for its control, precautionary information, etc., but
never should this information be superimposed on the
symbol.
THE MEANING OF THE FOUR CIRCLES IN
THE BIOHAZARD SYMBOL
According to an article in the New York Times and an article in Science the
Biohazard symbol was developed by Charles L. Baldwin of Dow Chemicals
and Robert S. Runkle of the NIH in 1966, and still has four circles. These
circles have specific meanings. The four circles contained within the
biohazard symbol represent the chain of infection:
Agent: The type of pathogen, that causes an infection or a hazardous
condition.
Host: The organism the pathogen infects.
Source: The host from which the pathogen originated.
Transmission: The means of pathogen transmission, mostly direct or
indirect. (Some routes of transmission may include air, insect bite, and
contaminated surfaces.)
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