Biosafety barriers in labs include personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, masks, and gowns as primary barriers. Biological safety cabinets (BSCs) are also important primary barriers that control hazards at their source. Secondary barriers include the laboratory structure like sealed perimeters, HEPA filters in exhaust systems, and specialized ventilation. Proper facility design and worker training are also crucial for effective biocontainment.

1. Biosafety Barriers in Labs.
Personal protective equipments (PPE)
Prof. Dr. Baydaa Hameed Abdullah
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2. ▪ The principle of holding or be capable of holding
or including within a fixed limit or area
▪ Biocontainment: preventing the release of
biological agents
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3. 3
BSC
PRIMARY BARRIERS
(control hazard at source)
BSC
HEPA filter(high efficiency particulate air)
SECONDARY BARRIERS
(structure surrounding primary barrier)
Sealed perimeter ,Exhaust HEPA filters

4. ▪ Physical barriers or personal protective equipments (PPE) for lab
worker Gloves, masks, Goggles, aprons, suits, special breathing
apparatuses
▪ Primary containment equipment
□ BSC
□ Sealed centrifuge
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5. ▪ Secondary barriers: structural aspects of the laboratory that
make working environment safer against infection such as Sinks
for hand washing, Special containment areas, Special air
ventilation patterns and Sterilization equipments.
▪ HEPA filters
▪ Liquid effluent treatment
▪ Sealed laboratory walls and floors
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6. ▪ Practice and procedures
□ Standard practices
□ Special practices and considerations
▪ Safety equipment
▪ Facility design and construction
▪ Increasing levels of protection
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7. ▪ Most important concept / strict adherence
▪ Aware of potential hazard
▪ Trained and proficient in techniques
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8. ▪ Primary containment barrier
▪ Minimize exposure to hazard
□ Engineering controls / equipment
□ PPE
□ Biological safety cabinets
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9. ▪ includes biological safety equipment, enclosed containers, safety centrifuge cups, and
other engineered controls designed to minimize exposure to biological agents.
▪ Biological safety cabinets are among the most important safety equipment for protection
of personnel and the laboratory environment, and most also provide product protection.
▪ Safety equipment is most effective at minimizing exposure when workers are trained on
the proper use of such equipment and the equipment is regularly inspected and
maintained.
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10. PPE
“Specialized clothing/equipment worn
by an employee for protection against
infectious materials” (OSHA)
 Provides protection from
(bio)hazards
 It is removable and/or disposable
(prevents contamination of
community and environment)
 Must be worn when handling
hazards (including infectious
materials)
 Must be removed before leaving the
work place

11. Factors that influence PPE selection:
 Routes of transmission
 Types of anticipated exposure(s)
 Available engineering controls
 Durability/appropriateness for task(s)
 Limitations
 Fit
 Donning/Doffing
PPE
SELECTION
Is made based on risk
assessment

12. Factors that influence PPE
selection:
 Routes of transmission
o direct contact
o droplets
o aerosols
 Types of anticipated
exposure(s)
 Available engineering controls
 Durability/appropriateness for
task(s)
 Limitations
PPE
SELECTION
Is made based on risk
assessment

13. Factors that influence PPE
selection:
 Routes of transmission
 Types of anticipated
exposure(s)
o skin?
o mucous membranes
o respiratory tract
o gastrointestinal tract
 Available engineering controls
 Durability/appropriateness for
task(s)
 Limitations
PPE
SELECTION
Is made based on risk
assessment

14. Factors that influence PPE selection:
 Routes of transmission
 Types of anticipated exposure(s)
 Available engineering controls
 Durability/appropriateness for task(s)
o must be appropriate for intended use
 Limitations
o many different types and materials
 Fit
o should be as comfortable as possible
 Donning/Doffing
PPE SELECTION
Is made based on risk
assessment

15. Body protection
TYPES OF PPE  Prevents spread of contamination to street
clothes/exposed skin
 Body protection dependent on containment level,
hazards
(biological, chemical, etc.), and procedures:
o Flame resistant/retardant
o Fluid resistant/repellant
o Disposable
o Solid front
o Cuffed sleeves
o Positive-pressure suits

16. TYPES OF PPE
Body protection
Head Protection:
o Protect hair and scalp from contamination
o Hair covers
Foot Protection:
o Protect entire foot
o Disposable shoe covers (additional layer of protection)
o Rubber boots
o Dedicated lab shoes
o Non-slip footwear
Additional Body Protection (based on risk assessment):
o Disposable sleeve covers
o Scrubs

17. ▪ Lab Coats and gowns
□ used to protect from infectious fluids
□ Don’t wear lab coats outside of the lab
or take them home
□ Cuffed sleeves can protect the wrists
and lower arms
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18. BODY PROTECTION
Gown/lab coat1,2
Use3 Disposal Re-Use
Barrierbetweenauser’s
body and the agent,
minimizing exposures
to splashes, spills, and
fomites
Gowns recommended
for healthcare
workers (aprons
acceptable if gowns
unavailable)
Lab coats
recommended for
diagnosticians
If single-use PPE is
utilized, dispose after use
in appropriate container
for medical or biohazard
waste
Single-use PPE should
NOT be cleaned and
reused, but gowns do not
need to be changed
between same- diagnosis
patients unless
contaminated
Reusable PPE should
be collected by the
facility,
decontaminated, then
laundered on site or
via a specialty
company (NOT at the
user’s home)4
Adapted from Sandia National

19. TYPES OF PPE
Face protection
 Worn when potential
risk for
splashing/splattering
 Prevents splashing of infectious
materials into eyes, nose, and/or
mouth
 Protects mucous
membranes from exposure
 Examples:
o Face shield
o Surgical mask
o Indirectly vented safety goggles
o Safety glasses

20. ▪ Eye and Face Protection
□ protect mucous membranes and prevent
ingestion whenever there is potential for splash
to eyes/face
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21. FACE PROTECTION –
Face shield/goggles
Use Disposal Re-Use
Barrierbetweenauser’s
face and the agent
when there is a
splash risk to the
eyes2
Full face-
shields
recommended
for healthcare
workers
Goggles
recommended for
diagnosticians,
researchers
Attheendoftheproduct’slife
(broken, torn, no longer
functional, etc.), facial
PPE is disposed of as
solid medical or
biohazard waste
Face shields and
goggles are designed
to be cleaned and
reused
Clean using
appropriate
chemical
disinfectants3
Some facial PPE can be
sterilized by steam autoclave

22. TYPES OF PPE
Hand protection
 Reduces potential of hand contamination
 Reduces risks associated with ingestion and skin
contact
 Gloves are made of different materials
o Latex, nitrile, vinyl, polyethylene, etc.
 Should be selected for specific activity and hazard
 Suitability of glove needs to be verified prior to
handling infectious materials

23. HAND PROTECTION –
Gloves
Use Disposal Re-Use
Barrierbetweenauser’s
hands and the
agent, minimizing
surface
contamination
Ideally, one-time
use, powder-free
Nitrile
recommended2
Vinyl and latex can be
used as alternatives
After use, gloves should
be disposed in the
appropriate container
for solid medical or
biohazard waste
Solid waste should be
autoclaved according to
local (and/or other)
regulations
Alternatively, solid waste
may be incinerated
Designed to be
disposed after use
It is NOT
recommended that
they be washed and
reused
Adapted from Sandia National

24. ▪ Gloves
□ Wear disposable vinyl, synthetic or N-DEX nitrile
gloves when working with biohazardous
materials
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25. ▪ Gloves
□ Avoid latex gloves (may cause allergies)
□ Do not reuse gloves
□ Do not wear gloves outside of the laboratory
□ Wash hands after removing gloves
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26. ▪ Respiratory Protection
□ Two types: air supplying and air purifying
□ Full face, half face, PAPR (Powered Air Purifying
Respirator)
□ Special considerations: fit testing; facial hair;
comfort; care and maintenance
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27. TYPES OF PPE
Respiratory protection
Removal of contaminants from the air by filtration of:
 particulates
 chemicals
 gases
Respirators divided into two classes:
 air-purifying –negative pressure vs. positive pressure
 atmosphere-supplying

28. RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
Air-purifying respirators
 Draw contaminated air through a filter
or chemical cartridge
 Non-powered and powered respirators
 Negative pressure vs. positive pressure
 3 different filter efficiency levels
o 95%
o 99%
o 100% (99.97%)
 N vs. R vs. P
 N for Not resistant to oil
 R for Resistant to oil
 P for oil Proof

29. ▪ Respiratory Protection
□ N95 respirators
□ N100 respirators
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30. RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
Air-purifying respirators
 Respirators must fit well with proper seal to
provide adequate protection
 Fit tightly against the face and form a seal between
edge of respirator and face of wearer
 Fit testing must be done:
o Prior to use
o Whenever different make, model, or
size of respirator is used
o Changes in facial structure
o Annually
 Fit testing can be quantitative or qualitative

31. Air-purifying respirators
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION  Powered Air-Purifying
Respirators (PAPRs):
o Comfortable for continuous wear
o No fit testing required
o Under positive pressure

32. RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
Air-purifying respirators
 Atmosphere-supplying
respirators use clean, breathable
air from gas cylinder or air
compressor
 Operate under positive pressure
 Examples:
o Self-Contained BreathingApparatus
(SCBA)
o Air-line (supplied air respirators)
o Supplied air suit (positive pressure
suit)

33. PPE
Proper use/removal
 PPE should be carefully inspected for damages/breaches prior to
donning PPE
 Change gloves as needed
 Gloves become means of spreading infectious materials when
contaminated
 Doffing PPE must be performed carefully to minimize contamination
 Doffing PPE needs to be immediately followed by handwashing
 Proper disposal of PPE as biohazard waste
 Proper decontamination and laundering of reusable PPE

34. ▪ BSCs provide effective primary containment for
work with infectious material or toxins when they
are properly maintained and used in conjunction
with good laboratory techniques
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35. ▪ Fume Hood
▪ Laminar Flow Cabinet (LFC)
▪ Biohazard Safety Cabinet (BSC)
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39. Facility Design
▪ The design of a facility is important in providing a barrier to protect people
working inside and outside the laboratory, as well as to protect people in
the community from infectious agents that may be accidentally released
from the laboratory.
▪ The recommended secondary barrier(s) will depend on the risk of
transmission of specific agents. For example, the exposure risks for most
laboratory work in BSL-1 and BSL-2 facilities will be direct contact with the
agents through contaminated work environments.Secondary barriers in
these laboratories may include separation of the laboratory work area from
public access; availability of decontamination equipment (e.g., autoclave*);
and handwashing facilities.
▪ In BSL-3 facilities, additional safeguards, such as directional airflow airlock-
controlled entry and exiting, a shower used for personnel to shower out may
be required.
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40. Facility Design
▪ As the risk for aerosol transmission increases, higher levels of primary
containment and multiple secondary barriers may become necessary to
prevent infectious agents from escaping into the environment.
Such design features could include
*specialized ventilation systems to ensure directional airflow
*air treatment systems to decontaminate or remove agents from exhaust air
*controlled access zones
*an airlock at the laboratory entrance
* separate buildings or modules for physical isolation of the laboratory
building itself.
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