New and Improved Biosafety Training

October 12, 2023 - K. Bullard

EHS's Biosafety Principles and Biosafety Refresher training courses will soon be replaced with three concise, new courses focused on biosafety risks in specific workplace settings. Personnel currently assigned biosafety training will see changes in their learning tracks in Ability LMS. (preview image)

New Biosafety Courses

Titles of the three new courses are:

  1. Biological Safety and Security - General, which covers basic biosfety and security in all environments
  2. Biological Safety and Security - Animal and Invertebrate Users, which covers biosafety risks specific to working with animals or invertebrates. 
  3. Biological Safety and Security - Plant and Soil Users, which covers biosafety risks specific to working with plants or soil

These focused new courses will ensure personnel have been provided with the appropriate training for their work. While credit is given for biosafety training completed in the past year, a small percentage will be required to complete training immediately, depending on current track assignments.

Pre-Requisite: The Animals and Invertebrate and Plants and Soil courses require a general initial biosafety course (either one of the legacy Biosafety course in the past year or the new Biological Safety and Security - General course) (pre-req link image)

Biohazardous Waste Requirement

Information on biohazardous waste handling, including sharps, will now be presented separately, rather than included in the biosafety courses. To fulfill regulatory and safety requirements for waste handling, any learning track containing biosafety training will also contain one of the following brief courses:

  • Biohazardous Waste
  • Waste Management and Segregation at Vet Med Center

 

Biosafety Training Requirements by Work Environment/Risk

Summary of updated biosafety training requirements by work environment
Work Environment/Risk New Training Course Requirements

BSL-1 or higher, without animals, invertebrates, plants, or soil

Example: researcher working with E. coli

Initial Training:

  1. Biological Safety and Security – General
  2. Biohazardous Waste

Annual Refresher Training:

  1. Biological Safety and Security – General
  2. Biohazardous Waste

BSL-1 or higher, with animals or invertebrates

Examples: researcher working with rodents, Vet Med clinician, farm worker

Initial Training:

  1. Biological Safety and Security – General
  2. Biological Safety and Security - Animal and Invertebrate Users
  3. Biohazardous Waste or Waste Management and Segregation at Vet Med Center

Annual Refresher Training:

  1. Biological Safety and Security - Animal and Invertebrate Users
  2. Biohazardous Waste or Waste Management and Segregation at Vet Med Center

BSL-1 or higher, with plants or soil

Examples: researcher working with soil samples

Initial Training:

  1. Biological Safety and Security – General
  2. Biological Safety and Security - Plant and Soil Users
  3. Biohazardous Waste

Annual Refresher Training:

  1. Biological Safety and Security - Plant and Soil Users
  2. Biohazardous Waste

Because the new courses are significantly shorter than the previous versions, overall time spent on training should remain the same or decrease, even if multiple courses are required.


Timing of the Changes

Existing Personnel

Personnel who have completed the Biosafety Principles or Biosafety Refresher should complete the new initial training requirements before their current training expires. 

New Personnel

New hires should follow the updated requirements and complete only the new courses.