CHEMICAL AND

BIOLOGICAL SAFETY
 CHEMICAL SAFETY
Chemical safety includes all those policies, procedures, and practices designed to minimize
the risk of exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals.

 This includes the risks of exposure to persons handling the chemicals, to the surrounding
environment, and to the communities and ecosystems within that environment.

Laboratory safety involves all the measures taken by the laboratory worker, laboratory owner,
institution and regulatory agencies to eliminate potential harm to human health and well-
being. Although steps are taken to reduce risks in the workplace, safety is a matter of personal
responsibility.
PERSONAL PROTECTION
HAZARD COMMUNICATION STANDARD
A quick assessment of a chemical’s hazards is visible on its container on a Hazard Communication Standard
(HCS) label. HCS labeling does not replace the more detailed Safety Data Sheet (SDS) but rather gives the
following information in brief:
SAFETY DATA SHEET

• An SDS includes information such as the properties of each

CHEMICAL PROP chemical; the physical, health, and environmental health

hazards; protective measures; and safety precautions for
handling, storing, and transporting the chemical

GLOBALLY • The SDS follows a 16-section format which is internationally

HARMONIZED agreed and for substances especially, the SDS should be

SYSTEM OF followed with an Annex that contains the exposure scenarios of
CLASSIFICATION this particular substance

TECHNICAL • Sections 9-11 and 16 provide technical and scientific

INFORMATION information about the chemical.
SOME HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS IN LAB
CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS
GENERAL PRECAUTION FOR ALL HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL
BASIC SAFETY RULES
DISPOSAL
 BIOLOGICAL SAFETY
 Biosafety is the prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity, focusing both on ecology and human
health.

 These prevention mechanisms include conduction of regular reviews of the biosafety in laboratory settings, as
well as strict guidelines to follow.

 Biosafety is used to protect from harmful incidents. Many laboratories handling biohazards employ an ongoing
risk management assessment and enforcement process for biosafety.

 “Laboratory biosafety” describes the use of biosafety principles and practices in laboratories to reduce the
health-related risks associated with handling infectious agents, toxins and other biological hazards arising from
an accidental exposure or unintentional release.
BIOSAFETY LEVELS

Biological Safety Levels (BSL) are a series of protections relegated to the 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.
BIOLOGICAL SAFETY -1
 Mechanical pipetting only
 Safe sharps handling
Mechanical pipetting only
 As the lowest of the four, biosafety  Daily decontamination of all work surfaces when
Safe sharps handling
level 1 applies to laboratory settings in work is complete
Avoidance of splashes or aerosols
 Hand washing
which personnel work with low-risk Daily decontamination of all work surfaces
 Prohibition of food, drink and smoking materials in
microbes that pose little to no threat of when work is complete
labHand
setting
washing
infection in healthy adults. An example  Personal protective equipment, such as; eye
Prohibition of food, drink and smoking
of a microbe that is typically worked protection,
materialsgloves and a lab coat or gown
in lab setting
with at a BSL-1 is a nonpathogenic  Biohazard signs
Personal protective equipment, such as; eye
strain of E. coli. protection, gloves and a lab coat or gown
 Biohazard signs
BIOLOGICAL SAFETY -2
 Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
 This biosafety level covers laboratories
must be worn, including lab coats and gloves
that work with agents associated with  All procedures that can cause infection from aerosols

human diseases (i.e. pathogenic or or splashes are performed within a biological safety
cabinet (BSC).
infections organisms) that pose a
 An autoclave or an alternative method of
moderate health hazard. Examples of
decontamination is available for proper disposals.
agents typically worked with in a BSL-  The laboratory has self-closing, lockable doors.
2 include equine encephalitis viruses  A sink and eyewash station should be readily

and HIV, as well as Staphylococcus available.

 Biohazard warning signs
aureus (staph infections
  Standard personal protective equipment must be
BIOLOGICAL SAFETY -3
worn, and respirators might be required

 Again building upon the two prior  Solid-front wraparound gowns, scrub suits or
coveralls are often required
biosafety levels, a BSL-3 laboratory
 All work with microbes must be performed within an
typically includes work on microbes
appropriate BSC
that are either indigenous or exotic,  Access hands-free sink and eyewash are available

and can cause serious or potentially near the exit

 Sustained directional airflow to draw air into the
lethal disease through inhalation.
laboratory from clean areas towards potentially
Examples of microbes worked with in
contaminated areas (Exhaust air cannot be re-
a BSL-3 includes; yellow fever, West
circulated)
Nile virus, and the bacteria that causes  A self closing set of locking doors with access away

tuberculosis. from general building corridors

BIOLOGICAL SAFETY -4
 Personnel are required to change clothing

 BSL-4 labs are rare. However some do exist before entering, shower upon exiting
in a small number of places in the US and  Decontamination of all materials before
around the world. As the highest level of exiting
biological safety, a BSL-4 lab consists of
 Personnel must wear appropriate personal
work with highly dangerous and exotic
protective equipment from prior BSL levels,
microbes. Infections caused by these types of
microbes are frequently fatal, and come as well as a full body, air-supplied,
without treatment or vaccines. Two examples positive pressure suit
of such microbes include Ebola and Marburg  A Class III biological safety cabinet
viruses.
ORGANISMS POSING SPECIAL RISKS
 Among the agents that have been identified in recent years as posing the greatest risk of infection to
laboratory and ancillary personnel of diagnostic laboratories are the virus of hepatitis B, Mycobacterium
tuberculosis, and Shigella spp.

 A partial list of other agents known to pose greater than average risk to laboratory workers
includes Brucella spp., Salmonella spp., leptospires, Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia spp., and Coccidioides
immitis.

 The virus of AIDS (HIV), on the other hand, poses a low risk of occupational infection to laboratory
workers, except to those working with concentrated virus suspensions.

 Acceptance of immunization against, or demonstration of proven immunity to, hepatitis B virus should be a
precondition for the employment of all workers who will be handling human blood or body fluids.
THE COMPLETE WHO PRIORITY PATHOGEN LIST
STANDARD MICROBIOLOGICAL PRACTICE
 Access to the laboratory is limited Work surfaces are decontaminated once a day and after any spill of viable
material.

 All contaminated liquid or solid wastes are decontaminated before disposal.

 Mechanical pipetting devices are used; mouth pipetting is prohibited.

 Eating, drinking, smoking, and applying cosmetics are not permitted in the work area. Food may be stored in
cabinets or refrigerators designated and used for this purpose only. Food storage cabinets or refrigerators
should be located outside of the work area.

 Persons wash their hands after they handle viable materials and animals and before leaving the laboratory.

 All procedures are performed carefully to minimize the creation of aerosols.

 It is recommended that laboratory coats, gowns, or uniforms be worn to prevent contamination or soiling of
street clothes.

 An insect and rodent control program is in effect.

 LABORATORY BIOCONTAINMENT

 Laboratory biocontainment” refers to the use of safety equipment and specially designed rooms and buildings
that act as primary barriers to prevent the release of infectious agents, toxins, and other biological hazards into
the environment.

 Secondary biocontainment barriers include specially designed and constructed rooms and buildings. These
buildings include several engineering features to keep, or “contain”, infectious agents, toxins, and biological
hazards inside the laboratory workspace.

 High containment is a term used to describe laboratories or facilities that operate at Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3)
conditions. “Maximum containment” is a term used to describe laboratories or facilities that operate at BSL-4
conditions
BIOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT
A biological risk assessment is a process that evaluates multiple factors to determine the risk to laboratory
workers, the community, or the environment of working with an infectious agent, toxin, or other biological
hazard. The biological risk assessment is used to determine the appropriate biosafety level for each project
conducted within a laboratory. Factors that influence the likelihood of an exposure that causes harm include the
nature of the infectious microorganism or biological hazard, including; The ability to cause disease and the way in
which it causes disease (transmissibility and pathogenicity).

 Risk Group 1: organisms that are not associated with disease in healthy human adults.
 Risk Group 2: organisms that may cause mild disease for which medical countermeasures are available.
 Risk Group 3: organisms that may cause serious or deadly disease for which medical countermeasures may be
available, and which have low potential to spread in the community or environment.
 Risk Group 4: organisms that will cause serious or deadly diseases for which medical countermeasures are
unlikely to be available, and which have a high potential to spread in the community or environment
 BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY
 The most dangerous chemical accident recorded in history.
 Occurred in the year 1984 in India.
 More than 3,000 people died after a highly toxic vapor, methyl
isocyanate, was released at Union Carbide Pesticides factory.
 The release happened after the storage tank safety valve had
failed to contain the excess pressure created by the exothermic
reaction between water and methyl isocyanate.
 The accident was caused by a faulty valve that let the water into
the tank.
 The safety refrigeration unit for the tank also was not functional
since it did not have any coolant.
BEIRUT EXPLOSION
 The 2020 Bierut explosion was one of the biggest non-nuclear
explosions in history. It happened when approximately 2,750
tons of ammonium nitrate inside a warehouse at the port
exploded
 On 4 August 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate
stored at the Port of Beirut in the capital city of Lebanon
exploded, causing at least 218 deaths, 7,000 injuries, and
US$15 billion in property damage, as well as leaving an
estimated 300,000 people homeless.
 The blast was so powerful that it physically shook the whole
country of Lebanon. It was felt in Turkey, Syria, Palestine,
Jordan, and Israel, as well as parts of Europe, and was heard
in Cyprus, more than 240 km (150 mi) away.
 TIANJIN CHINA (2015)
 On 12 August 2015, a series of explosions at the
Port of Tianjin in Tianjin, Northern China, killed 173
people, according to official reports, and injured
hundreds of others.

 The explosions occurred at a container storage station

in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin, China. The first
two explosions occurred 33 seconds apart.

 The second explosion was much larger and involved

the detonation of about 800 tonnes of
ammonium nitrate (approx. 256 tonnes TNT
LABORATORY–ACQUIRED INFECTIONS AND ACCIDENTAL PATHOGEN EXPOSURES

 2017 (US CDC Report): At least 11 cases of LAIs involving high-risk pathogens like Brucella spp.,
Francisella tularensis, and Coccidioides immitis from 2004 to 2010.
 2014 (Forgotten Smallpox Vials): Vials of smallpox discovered in an unintended storage area in
Washington.
 2015 (Anthrax Mishap): Mislabeling of anthrax samples led to their unintended shipment across labs
and military bases.
 2003 (Singapore SARS Case): A graduate student contracted SARS through contaminated West Nile
virus preparations, highlighting shortcomings in safety and procedures.
 2004 (Russian Ebola Incident): A researcher succumbed to Ebola after accidental needle-stick exposure.
 2005 (H2N2 Influenza Strain): The pandemic strain was mistakenly included in test kits, posing a global
biosecurity risk due to the lack of population immunity post-1968 .
Hundreds of "accidental releases” of virulent pathogens had been documented. The term
used in scientific circles for such phenomenon in laboratory-acquired infections (LAIs).
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