Applied Biosafety

Protection of laboratorians and their immediate environment from hazardous research materials (primary containment) requires meticulous preparation and execution of appropriate protocols and practice. Just as important is paying attention to detail in the selection, installation, proper use, maintenance and certification of proper operation of safety equipment. In order to accomplish this a basic understanding is necessary of primary containment equipment and its performance. This chapter deals with primary containment, Biological Safety Cabinets, suit rooms, glove boxes and the certification and proper use of these types of primary containment equipment.

This chapter will provide design and layout information for Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) laboratories showing how the guidelines translate into three dimensional architectural facilities. The basic models of the BLS3 laboratory will be presented with diagrams:

BSL3 laboratory with anteroom or workroom as access zone

This chapter will discuss the design issues of Biosafety Level 4 (BSL4) suit laboratories. It will review the requirements of “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories” (BMBL) (USDHHS, 1993), including revisions proposed for the 4th edition, in greater detail and give the rationale behind some of the requirements of laboratories at this level. The chapter will also detail issues related to layout and how this impacts operation with a comparative review of contemporary facilities.

Maximum personnel protection can be achieved in two fundamentally different ways: enclose the investigator in an air-supplied suit, or enclose the biohazardous agent in a primary containment device. This chapter will focus on the use of Class III Biological Safety Cabinets to meet biosafety level 4 containment.