Biosafety and Biohazardous Waste Training

Kerri Kwist, Biosafety Officer

Who needs to take this training?• You need to take this training if you generate biohazardous waste,

whether that waste is infectious or not infectious• You need to take this training if you have the potential to generate

biohazardous waste.• People who work in research labs, people who deal with human

samples, animal care workers, and people who work with plants.

Biosafety and Biohazardous Waste• The hazards of working in a lab with biological materials

are unique and require specialized training. This training will help to identify ways to keep workers safe.

• There are also regulatory requirements for working with these hazards and this training will also cover those requirements.

What is Biosafety?• Maintaining safe conditions to prevent harm to people or

the environment from biological materials.• Examples of these biological materials include: human

materials (blood borne pathogens), microorganisms, Recombinant DNA (rDNA).

Oversight of Biosafety• Several governmental agencies provide guidance over

these hazards. They include OSHA, SC DHEC, CDC, NIH.

• Clemson has its own level of oversight through the Institutional Biosafety Committee, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, and the Office of Research Safety.

Types of Biohazards at Clemson• Pathogenic microorganisms – bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites,

etc that cause disease• Human materials – patient samples, cell culture• Recombinant DNA (rDNA) – artificially made DNA from

2+ sources• Animal work – zoonotic disease (pathogen transferred from an

animal)• Wastewater samples – sludge and biosolids.

Where do we find these biohazards?• Labs in multiple buildings and departments• Greenhouses• Farms• Off campus• Most facilities!

Risk Assessment• What is a risk assessment?

– Identify what the hazards are.– Determine possible outcomes.– Find a solution.

Risk Groups for Microorganisms• Microorganisms are microscopic bacteria, viruses etc.

Some of these are pathogenic, which can cause disease.• The CDC has assigned “Risk Groups” to microorganisms

to aid in risk assessment.• The lowest risk microorganisms are classified as Risk

Group 1. These do not normally cause disease in healthy adults. Risk group 4 has the highest level of risk.

• At Clemson, we have RG-1 and RG-2 agents.

Risk GroupsTo aid in the risk assessment of biological hazards, the CDC has created 4 categories for microorganisms.

Risk Group 1 is the least hazardous and Risk Group 4 is the most hazardous.

Biosafety Level• Using the risk group, it can then be determined what level

of containment to use. This is also referred to as the Biosafety Level (BSL).

• Containment refers to the safety mechanisms in place.• The Biosafety Level usually, but not always, corresponds

to the Risk Group.• At Clemson, we have BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs.

Biosafety LevelDepending on the hazards, you would use an appropriate biosafety level, or containment, to

mitigate that risk.

Risk Groups usually corresponds to the Biosafety Level

Ways to Control Risk

Ways to Control Risk1. The most effective way to control risk is to ELIMINATE

the hazard. No hazard means no risk!2. If you can’t eliminate the hazard, can you SUBSTITUTE

it for something less dangerous? (i.e. non-pathogenic strains)

3. Use ENGINEERING CONTROLS to separate the hazard from people and/or the environment. Includes locking doors, air flow, Biosafety Cabinets, etc. (cont. next slide)

3a. Engineering Controls - Biosafety Cabinet• A biosafety cabinet uses

airflow to direct hazards away from the lab worker.

• The cabinet also protects the samples from possible outside contamination.

• This cabinet is required for work done at a BSL2 level.

• Not appropriate for chemical use.

Ways to Control Risk (continued)4. ADMINISTRATION CONTROLS change the way people work. This includes trainings and posting signs that would alert people to the hazards and give ways to manage the risk.5. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT or PPE. It is the first (or last) line of defense from hazardous materials.

PPE• Starts with LONG pants and

CLOSED TOED shoes.• In all labs with chemical or

biological hazards, lab coats and safety glasses are required. Fit is essential.

• Nitrile gloves should be used as needed.

• Other examples would be UV face shield, cryogenic gloves, autoclave gloves, etc.

Other Biosafety ConcernsSharps• Broken glass, syringes, scalpels• Special care must be taken with

these items.• Sharps are usually considered

infectious.• Sharps containers are provided by

Research Safety.

Aerosols• Droplet generating activities of

biohazardous materials.• These types of activities must be

done in a BSC or an enclosed space.

Biohazardous Spill Cleanup• Follow the Biosafety Manual rules for spills

– Cover with absorbent material (paper towels, etc.).– Soak the absorbent material with 0.5% sodium hypochlorite (1:9 dilution of

household bleach – 10% bleach) for at least 10 minutes unless something else is more appropriate.

– Use appropriate PPE.– Place spill materials in a plastic bag then package for Hazardous Waste

pick up (i.e. Label “Hazardous Waste. Sodium Hyopochlorite spill clean up. Oxidizer”).

– Report the spill to your supervisor. If it is a large spill (>500 mL) contact the BSO.

What do I do if I am exposed?

• In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency medical facility.

• Call “compendium” CorVel.* Go to Redfern.• Report the exposure to your supervisor as soon as

possible.• Your supervisor will then follow the methods prescribed in

the Exposure Control Plan (i.e. contact Research Safety).**

Biohazardous Waste• Disposal of biohazardous materials needs to be done

properly to ensure the safety of the community and the environment.

• Regulated by SC DHEC.• Red bins and bags are provided

by Research Safety.

Types of biohazardous waste1. Lab trash – lab waste that can go in the trash (i.e.

gloves, packaging, empty bottles). Non-hazardous.2. Biohazardous waste - This is waste that is hazardous,

but not infectious. It does need to be treated before disposal (i.e. RG1 bacteria, animal waste, petri dishes, rDNA waste) so it does not get into the environment.

3. Infectious waste – This waste could be infectious. Includes human materials waste, BBP, RG2 organisms, sharps.

Non-hazardous waste (Lab trash)• Can go in regular trash.• Includes certain plants and items that may have touched

biologicals (not rDNA)• Trash that does not look like medical waste.• Use your best judgment. If something looks like it might be

hazardous, just dispose of it as biohazardous waste.

Biohazardous Waste• This is waste from a non-infectious source but needs to

be treated before disposal to protect the environment. • Don’t put this type of waste in the regular trash!• Includes bacteria that are non-infectious (RG1), animal

waste, materials from recombinant DNA work, items that appear to be medical waste.

Infectious Waste• This waste could be infectious and pose a risk to human

health or the environment. • It needs to be treated before disposal.• Includes infectious microoganisms (RG2), human

materials that may contain blood borne pathogens, and sharps.

How to dispose• Biohazardous and infectious waste can be:

– Treated in the lab: chemical and steam sterilization OR– Collected and picked up by Research Safety

• Both types are treated the same; however, infectious waste MUST be logged.

Treating liquid waste – chemical disinfection1. Add bleach to 10% volume of collected liquid waste (if

you have 90ml of liquid, add 10ml undiluted bleach)2. Let sit for 10-20 minutes.3. Pour down drain and flush with

copious amounts of water.4. LOG infectious waste.

Steam sterilization for solids and liquids• Use certified autoclave that is tested with a bioindicator

once a month.• Autoclave bags should be CLEAR and NOT have the

biohazard symbol on them.• Load autoclave and run for 30-40 minutes at 121

degrees C and 15 PSI• Use lead free autoclave tape• LOG infectious waste.

Logging infectious waste• Clemson’s waste permit is

based on how much infectious waste is produced.

• Every time infectious waste is treated and disposed of in the lab, it should be logged.

• If you aren’t sure if it is infectious our not, just log it!

• Logs should be sent to BSO on a regular basis.

Packaging biohazardous waste for pick up• Line a biohazard bin with 1 bag

(use 2 bags for animal carcasses).• Fill bin not to exceed approximately 40 pounds.• Tie or tape inner bag. • Place biohazard waste label or non-infectious label on

inner bag.• Close lid on bin.• Place “biohazard waste: label or “non-infectious biohazard

waste” label on outside of bin.• You do NOT have to log infectious waste if it is getting picked

up by Research Safety.

Request a biohazardous waste pick up

Mixed Waste• Biological/Chemical/Radioactive• Chemical waste and Radioactive waste take priority over

Biohazardous waste.• Do NOT treat without guidance from Research Safety.• Please contact Research Safety for more info.

Review• Biology labs contain unique hazards and require

oversight.• Understand the risk involved and the containment level.• Know what equipment there is for protection and know

what to do in an emergency.• There are different types of biohazardous waste and

different ways to dispose of this waste.

Kerri Kwist – Biosafety Officerkkwist@clemson.edu

June Brock-Carroll – Hazardous Materials Managerjuneb@clemson.edu

Proceed to the quiz!!!

https://www.clemson.edu/research/safety/training/biotraining/biowasteQuiz.html

YOU MUST TAKE THE QUIZ AND FILL OUT THE FORM AT THE END IN ORDER TO GET CREDIT FOR THIS

TRAINING.