• have compromised or suppressed immunity through existing disease or medication
• are pregnant or are breast-feeding (when the foetus or infant may also be at risk). Refer to Departmental REPROHAZ document.
• have a history of asthma (and therefore may be at increased risk from respiratory sensitisers) or have a skin condition such as eczema if working with animals known to produce allergens (work covered by a separate Special Assessment).
  

Health surveillance will be required for those at special risk (e.g. periodic clinical examination and/or lung function test). Immunity levels should be checked before or after immunisation where this is provided as a control measure against infection.

General Risk Control Measures.

1. Infectious disease caused by pathogenic micro-organism.
2. Toxic effects caused by microbial, animal or plant toxins.
3. Possible carcinogenic effects caused by oncogenic viruses.
4. Physical damage caused by a biting or scratching animal.
5. (A separate Special Assessment covers respiratory sensitisation or allergy to non-pathogenic organisms, body product or body fluid (e.g. small mammals, locust or Manduca scales, nematode worm body fluid or wild bird products)).

1. Work with any agent capable of causing severe human disease.
2. Carrying out activities or processes which may produce aerosols of biological agents (including loading API strips and ELISA/microtitre plates).
3. Handling sharp instruments such as hypodermic needles, scalpels, razor blades, broken glass or jagged metal which may be contaminated.
4. Work with large quantities or high titres of biological agents.
5. The propagation or culturing of biological agents, especially those that are pathogenic.
6. Work with agents, especially parasites, which have variable life-cycle pathogenicity.
7. Work with unscreened human or animal samples or tissues from a high risk population or infected source.
8. Work involving tissue (or blood) taken from yourself or lab colleagues if the tissue could be transformed and reintroduced back into the donor (possibly via an aerosol).
9. Work with cell lines or strains that are not fully characterised, which are derived from high-risk sources or which may be contaminated with adventitious agents.
10. Work with agents known to be drug-resistant or which have been genetically modified so that they are intentionally drug-resistant.
11. Work with free plasmid DNA, particularly if it encodes oncogenic proteins and is designed for expression in mammalian cells.
12. The presence of unprotected wounds, abrasions or scratches on the hands, arms or face which may come into contact or be splashed with blood, blood-contaminated articles or pathogenic cultures.

1. Any person working with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) must be authorised by the University GM Safety Committee (via the Biological Safety Officer). GM projects must be similarly approved.
2. Avoid working with a viable pathogenic organism where possible or use the organism of least hazard consistent with the proposed work.
3. Assign a hazard group (1 to 4 according to the ACDP criteria - refer to the UoB SM section 4.2.7 and the ACDP document "The Approved List of biological agents" - June 2004) to infectious biological agents and only work in laboratories or rooms with the containment level and measures appropriate for that group.
4. Ensure that appropriate storage, use, disposal and emergency procedures have been established before ordering any hazardous biological agent. Particular attention must be paid to using specified decontaminant solutions for microbiological spillages.
5. Carry out manipulations or activities likely to generate an aerosol only in suitable microbiological safety cabinet (Class I for operator protection or Class II for operator and product protection, as defined by BS 5726). Further details can be found in Departmental FUM3.2
6. Avoid the use of sharp objects or implements where possible. If unavoidable make sure that they are put into appropriate puncture-resistant containers for safe disposal.
7. Wear protective clothing (properly fastened laboratory coat and safety spectacles). Suitable and/or additional eye/face protection may also be necessary. Wear disposable gloves when handling infectious or contaminated material. Examine all personal protective clothing and equipment before use and replace any that are damaged or likely to be ineffective.
8. Avoid hand to mouth/eye/face contact and thoroughly wash your hands before leaving the lab.
9. Do not eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics or manipulate contact lenses in any "wet" laboratories or store-room where biological agents are kept or used.
10. Do not mouth pipette or use mouth-operated suction devices to transfer culture media or any fluids.
11. Decontaminate benches and other surfaces that may be contaminated at least once a day and whenever a spill of viable material has occurred. Keep freshly-made stocks of suitable disinfectant available within the laboratory.
12. On a frequent basis, routinely replace the water in, and clean, water baths. This is also essential when a spillage of viable organisms or nutrient media has occurred.
13. Place all infectious or contaminated microbiological waste in suitable containers for autoclaving or for soaking in decontaminant solutions. Human or animal wastes for incineration must be securely stored frozen in colour-coded plastic bags prior to despatch.
14. Do not remove infectious or contaminated material from the laboratory to another area unless it is suitably packaged in a sealed and labelled container.
15. Infectious materials may be centrifuged in the open laboratory if sealed rotors or sealed buckets are used and if these are opened only in a functioning microbiological safety cabinet.
16. Immunisation and regular booster injections should be provided if appropriate as a supplementary safety precaution for those who may be exposed to pathogenic micro-organisms.

This assessment was drafted by Peter Jewell and originally adopted by the Safety Team in May 1998 and reviewed in April 2000, May 2001, May 2003 and May 2005.
It will be reviewed again in May 2007.