Biological Safety Levels 1 and 2 Manual

Our Approach to Biosafety

Work involving biological materials typically involves agent specific strategies designed to manage the agent and agent associated risks. Researchers are often guided by pressures from funding sources, standards of practice, guidelines, communal intellect and their own knowledge base with no specific regulatory or authoritative doctrine to govern practice. To complicate matters further, biological research often involves the use of chemicals, radiological materials, lasers, animal model systems and physical hazards which must also be managed safely. There exists a need to position each individual scope of work within an overarching operational framework that is capable of anticipating, evaluating and managing the various aspects of the work being performed. For biosafety in particular, this means developing internal policies coupled to effective working policies that are aimed at managing work associated risks efficiently. This also means developing a comprehensive understanding of each process, the inherent hazards, identifying roles and responsibilities, use of appropriate controls, training, surveillance, monitoring and following up on new material reviews and equipment or operational changes. These concepts serve as the basis for risk assessment and risk management and define our approach to biological safety at Cornell University.

Biological Safety Program Goals

The Biological Safety Program goals include the following:

• Assure a safe environment exists for conducting cutting edge biological research
  
  
• Safeguard the health of members of the Cornell community against exposure to biological agents or other materials used at the university
  
  
• Prevent agricultural or environmental damage from biological agents used, transferred or disposed of by the University
  
  
• Provide guidance and implement systems for biosafety controls
  
  
• Provide required biosafety training designed to supplement lab specific or task specific training
  
  
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state and local guidelines.

Immediate police, fire, environmental or medical response

 Dial 911

The Cornell University Emergency Plan
Http://web.cornell.edu/Emergency/

Medical Questions or Concerns?

Gannett Health Services
255-5155
Gannett Occupational Medicine
255-6960

Accident Reporting

Illnesses and injuries must be reported to University officials through the illness/injury reporting system. The supervisor of an injured employee, the department head, or a designated individual within the department must complete all sections of this form within 24 hours after the injury is first reported. The online accident reporting system can be accessed through the EH&S webpage – Cornell University Injury Reporting. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator and laboratory supervisor to ensure all accidents and injuries are reported to University officials through the use of the Cornell University injury reporting system.

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Table of Contents

PDF version of the Biological Safety Levels 1 and 2 Manual

Be aware that the pdf. does not reflect the most up-to-date information contained in the Biosafety levels 1 and 2 manual. The on-line version of the manual is the most current version of the manual available.  Questions regarding the content of the manual can be directed to Keane Leitch.