Guidelines for Biosafety Training Programs for Workers Assigned to BSL-3 Research Laboratories

Abstract

The Guidelines for Biosafety Training Programs for Workers Assigned to BSL-3 Research Laboratories were developed by biosafety professionals who oversee training programs for the 2 national biocontainment laboratories (NBLs) and the 13 regional biocontainment laboratories (RBLs) that participate in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) NBL/RBL Network. These guidelines provide a general training framework for biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) high-containment laboratories, identify key training concepts, and outline training methodologies designed to standardize base knowledge, understanding, and technical competence of laboratory personnel working in high-containment laboratories. Emphasis is placed on building a culture of risk assessment-based safety through competency training designed to enhance understanding and recognition of potential biological hazards as well as methods for controlling these hazards. These guidelines may be of value to other institutions and academic research laboratories that are developing biosafety training programs for BSL-3 research.

Biosafety and biosecurity capacity building: insights from implementation of the NUITM-KEMRI biosafety training model

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The Culture of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Responsible Conduct in the Life Sciences: A Comprehensive Literature Review

“…The articles in this group included some focused on training biosafety level 3 (BSL-3)/BSL-4 laboratory workers 84 -86 (by a combination of didactic classroom training, supervised practical training and exercises, and mentor-on-the job training) and guidelines for biosafety competencies or general competencies for public health laboratory workers. 87 A survey by Chamberlain et al 88 of biosafety professionals concludes that “variations in biosafety training requirements, incident-reporting practices, and attitudes toward laboratory safety…support the development of core competencies in biosafety practices that could lead to more uniform and robust safety culture.”…”

A Dose-Response Model and D10-Value forMycobacterium tuberculosisExposed to Dosimetrically Verified Ionizing Radiation

“…Each of these barriers to high-risk pathogen research are amplified in regions which are resource-poor, wherein those same regions find themselves most susceptible to outbreaks 1,3,6 . And though these barriers are certainly felt strongly in resource-poor communities, they are present even in communities with ample means to finance research, as facilities require maintenance and extensive training, while having a slight but non-zero risk of infection to researchers and subsequently, their communities 7 .…”