Biohazard SOP's

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Standard Procedures

• Biohazardous agents which may be used at CHESS are restricted to small amounts of viruses of classification BL-2 or below.  Use of these materials must be approved in advance by the CHESS and LNS Safety Committees.  The safety binder at the Ops desk will have a list of the approved viruses for a user's current visit.

• All users of biohazards must have received appropriate training, either at the user's home institution (PI certifies training) or at CHESS (cognizant Safety Officer certifies training).  Users should verify training at the time they sign out radiation badges.

• The cognizant Safety Officer, or designee, will check in biohazards, inform the CHESS Operator about them, and write on the safety whiteboard: station, nature of hazard, Safety Officer's name and phone number.

• "Procedures to be used with BL-2 viruses at CHESS" are to be followed for handling BL-2 viruses (this document is provided to all users of such materials and is also available in the safety binder at the Ops desk and on-line.  Note particularly:

1. Viral materials must be checked in and out.

2. BL-2 materials are restricted to certain areas (usually F1 station), which are labeled with biohazard signs.  Access to these areas is restricted to those who need to be there.

3. Surfaces, equipment, and personnel must be protected from contact with infectious material.  Absorbent paper for covering surfaces is stored in F1.

4. Bleach or other suitable disinfectant must be on hand in any areas where biohazards will be handled, also sharps container and biohazard bags.

• In the case of a small, contained spill, users can clean it up themselves.  For a larger spill, or other emergency, or incomplete cleanup of a small spill, users will notify the CHESS operator, who will call in the cognizant Safety Officer.

• Emergency procedures are posted in F1 and outside the cold room, and are also in the safety binder at the Operator's desk.

• A container for biohazardous waste is located in the F1 prep area.  At the conclusion of the experiment, all biohazardous waste must be placed in biohazard bags or sharps containers, labeled, and placed in this container for later pickup by EH&S.  A supply of labels are kept with the container; more can be obtained from EH&S.

• Hazardous materials must be checked out by the Safety Officer on completion of the experiment.