Biological Safety

Biological materials, including genetically modified organisms, can cause harm to human health and to the environment. There are various legal requirements for keeping and using biological materials to ensure they do not cause harm.

The purpose of this page is to bring together the relevant University Health and Safety Policies and Guidance and other supporting information on biological hazards and precautions for biological safety.

Biological Agents and Biosafety (General)

University Biosafety Policy 2021

Management and operation of microbiological containment laboratories - ACDP

University Biosafety Risk Assessment form

Checklist for Inspections of Biological Laboratories

Guidance on Student Project Work

Role of the Biological Safety Officer

Managing biological risks

Management and operation of microbiological containment laboratories - ACDP

This guidance is aimed at those responsible for managing, supervising, assessing and coordinating work in microbiological containment laboratories. It should also be considered before any changes in function, upgrading or building of facilities to be used for this type of work.

University guidance on the management of biological risks

Ref: GUIDANCE/MBS/2019

Guidance Note 1 provides an overview of the internal assessment review process and the biosafety committee structure. All other guidance notes provide information on safe working practices. Following the guidance outlined in these notes will help to ensure compliance with the legislation.

Guidance Note 1: Structure of Biosafety Community/Approval of Work/Committee Reporting Lines

Guidance Note 2: Training

Guidance Note 3: Safe Use of Equipment

Guidance Note 4: Health surveillance and Immunisation

Guidance Note 5: Transport of Infectious Substances and Biological Materials

Guidance Note 6: Disinfection, Decontamination and Autoclaving

Guidance Note 7: Clinical Waste

Guidance Note 8: Emergency Plans

Guidance Note 9: Sharps Injuries and Splash Incidents

Guidance Note 10: Personal Protective Equipment

Guidance Note 11: Use of Mobile Phones and other Personal Electronic Equipment in Laboratories

Approved list of biological agents

The Approved List of Biological Agents classifies biological agents (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and prions) into one of four hazard groups (HG) according to the following criteria:

Their ability to cause infection (in otherwise healthy individuals)
The severity of the disease that may result
The risk that infection will spread to the community
The availability of effective vaccines and treatment

The Approved List is an approved document that works in conjunction with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) to provide the regulatory framework controlling the risk from biological agents at work. Only those agents classified into Groups 2-4 are listed, however, simply because an agent is not listed this does not mean it is automatically a Hazard Group 1 (HG1) agent.

HSE has recently published the fifth edition of the Approved List of Biological Agents on behalf of the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens. The changes to this edition include:

Previously unlisted viruses have been classified and added to the list
The hazard group classification for existing agents has been reviewed and reclassified where appropriate
Further information has been included to clarify the classification of some agents
If a biological agent is also assigned a classification under the Specified Animal Pathogens Order (SAPO), this is now indicated on the list
Advice on available vaccines has been updated
Improvements to style and structure

Genetic Modification

University GM Risk Assessment Proforma 2019

Guidance on completion of GM Risk Assessment Proforma

Guidance on the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2014

Guidance from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Genetic Modification
The SACGM Compendium of Guidance is aimed at all those wishing to undertake activities with GMOs in containment. In particular, those with responsibility for assessing the risks associated with such work, and those who are required to appraise those risk assessments, are the intended users of this guidance. Following this guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow this guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance as illustrating good practice.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine article: Risks associated with lentiviral vector exposure