Biological Safety

The University's College of Medicine has developed a Biosafety Manual and Exposure Control Plan that specifies facility standards and basic requirements established to minimize or eliminate exposures to biological hazards. Each of the University Hospitals and clinics treating patients has its own and separate biosafety requirements and internally managed biosafety programs.

Basically, personnel are to be educated as to the hazards within their work environment and are required to follow the required practices and procedures established by the facility. A Principal Investigator or manager trained and knowledgeable in appropriate laboratory techniques, safety procedures and hazards associated with handling biological materials will be responsible for the conduct of work with any biological materials. This individual can consult with the University Biosafety Officer, Safety and Environmental Compliance department, their facility's Safety Officer or Infection Control Nurse.

When standard biological safety work practices are not sufficient to control the hazards associated with a particular material or procedure, additional measures should be sought through the individual responsible for designating work practices.

Safety practices, training and work techniques can be enhanced by having appropriate facility design, engineering controls, safety equipment and management practices. Regulatory requirements come from several sources, National Institutes of Health (NIH), The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The Department of Transportation (DOT), Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), and other federal, state and community regulatory agencies to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.