10 Questions
What is a common use of BSL-1 labs?
Teaching high school and college students
What is a necessary step in BSL-1 labs before disposing of potentially infectious material?
Decontaminating the material with a chemical or autoclave
What is a characteristic of BSL-2 labs?
They require extreme precautions with contaminated sharp items
Which of the following microorganisms is typically handled in a BSL-1 lab?
Non-pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli
Which of the following viruses is classified as a Risk Group 2 agent?
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
What is the primary risk associated with BSL-3 labs?
Disease transmission through the inhalation route
What is a purpose of biological safety cabinets in BSL-2 labs?
To contain infectious aerosols or splashes
Which of the following microorganisms is not typically handled in a BSL-1 lab?
Hepatitis A virus
What is a requirement for laboratory personnel working with BSL-2 agents?
They must have specific training in handling pathogenic agents
What is the main difference between BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs?
The type of microorganisms handled
Study Notes
Laboratory Safety and Biosafety Levels
- All laboratory waste, including filtered air, water, and trash, must be decontaminated before leaving the facility.
Risk Group 4 Agents
- BSL-4 labs are used for diagnostic work and research on easily transmitted pathogens that can cause fatal diseases.
- Examples of Risk Group 4 agents include:
- Covaid-19 virus
- Hendra virus
- Nipah virus
- Flaviviruses
- Variola virus (causative agent of smallpox)
Isolation and Ventilation
- Isolation can be an effective method of control if a hazardous job can be moved to a part of the workplace where fewer people will be exposed.
- Ventilation can be used for two reasons:
- To prevent the work environment from being too hot, cold, dry, or humid.
- To prevent contaminants in the air from getting into the areas where workers breathe.
Other Methods of Control
- General cleanliness
- Personal hygiene practices:
- Never pipette by mouth
- Do not consume lab ice or deionized water
- No eating, drinking, and using cosmetics
- Wash hands/arms before leaving the lab
The SAFETY Pyramid
- The SAFETY Pyramid consists of:
- Fatality
- Lost time injury
- Injury zone
- Recordable injury
- Minor injury/first aid
- Near misses/hazard recognition
- Personal safety awareness
- Heightened safety awareness
- Tailgate meetings, Work Instructions, and SOPs
Total Safety Culture
- A Near Miss is an incident or unsafe condition with potential for injury, but a fortunate break in the chain of events prevented an injury or fatality.
Risk Group 3 Agents
- Examples of Risk Group 3 agents include:
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- SARS virus
- Rift Valley fever virus
- Rickettsia rickettsii
- Yellow fever virus
- West Nile virus
- Several species of Brucella
Biosafety Levels
- BSL-4 is the highest level of biosafety precautions and is appropriate for work with agents that could easily be aerosol-transmitted within the lab and cause severe to fatal disease in humans for which there are no available vaccines or treatments.
- BSL-3 is suitable for work involving microbes that can cause serious and potentially lethal disease via the inhalation route.
- BSL-2 is suitable for work involving agents of moderate potential hazard to personnel and the environment.
- BSL-1 is appropriate for work with several kinds of microorganisms that are not suspected to contribute to human disease.
Risk Group 1 and 2 Agents
- Examples of Risk Group 1 agents include:
- Non-pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli
- Staphylococcus
- Bacillus subtilis
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae
- Examples of Risk Group 2 agents include:
- Hepatitis A, B, and C viruses
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- Pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, and Salmonella
This quiz covers the safety protocols and containment procedures for working with highly infectious and deadly pathogens in Biosafety Level 4 laboratories, including risk group 4 agents and viruses such as COVID-19, Hendra, Nipah, and smallpox. Learn about the decontamination of lab waste, isolation methods, and more.
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