Gimotea, Philip Gabriel G.

June 18, 2015

N20 NA

June 25, 2015

1. History of the Biohazard Symbol

In 1966, it became clear to scientist Charles L. Baldwin
that biology laboratories lacked a proper symbol to mark the
hazardous materials they used so frequently. In an article
written by Baldwin and Robert S. Runkle called, Biohazards
Symbol: Development of a Biological Hazards Warning
Signal, they describe this particular problem: In biology
laboratories...a number of different symbols are in use; none
of these has been universally accepted, and did not imply or
encompass all possible biohazards. This was a danger to the
entire biological studies community and everyone else, since the lack of a universal
symbol could cause dangerous confusion in the sciences. Containment facilities were
beginning the process of keeping the workers safe, but preventable, accidental
infections of numerous laboratory personnel for the past twenty years proved an urgent
need for a universal symbol. Baldwin decided to create an original, universal warning
sign that everyone would soon recognize.
During his time at the Dow Chemical Company, Baldwin began to work on ideas for
the new symbol. Instead of consulting his own colleagues, he went to the Dow
Marketing and Package Design department. The process began and Baldwin started to
narrow down ideas. In the article that he wrote with Robert S. Runkle, he elaborates on
how he tried to think of such a symbol. Six criteria were established to address the
"psychology of recognition and retention."
After selecting six symbols from over forty ideas, they began a field test to see which
one had the biggest impact on the general population. The testing process were based
mass-psychology tests used in marketing and package design. In his article written with
John Cook, he describes this process: We tested the sample symbols across the
country...there were half a dozen of our original symbols in this survey of 24 different
symbols. The rest were recognizable, like the peanut man for Planter's peanuts, the
Texaco star, the Shell Oil symbol, the Red Cross and the swastika. They were asked to
look at them and then asked to guess at what each one meant. The biohazard symbol
got the fewest guesses. Then, we went back one week later to the same set of people
and the same set of symbols, plus 36 more common ones, and asked them which of
these did they remember the best. And they picked out the biohazard symbol.

After extensive research, Baldwin and his team produced what they believed to be
the perfect warning symbol for biohazards. Its blazing orange background and perfectly
symmetrical symbol stood out and avoided confusion. Its bold color and simple design
made a tremendous impact on everyone who saw it. The next major step was
presenting it to the scientific community. He did that by writing a paper in the journal
Science. The next was to get the authorization from the various people that would be
using it.
2. Factors Considered in the Adaptation/Use of the Symbol
The symbol is a fluorescent orange or an orange-red color. There is no requirement
for the background color as long as there is sufficient contrast to permit the symbol to
be clearly defined. The symbol shall be as prominent as practical, of a size consistent
with the size of the equipment or material to which it is affixed, and easily seen from as
many directions as possible. The biohazard symbol is used or displayed only to signify
the actual or potential presence of a biological hazard. Appropriate wording may be
used in association with the symbol to indicate the nature or identity of the hazard,
name of individual responsible for its control, precautionary information, etc., but never
should this information be superimposed on the symbol.
3. Biosafety Levels
Biohazard Level 1: Bacteria and viruses including Bacillus subtilis, canine hepatitis,
Escherichia coli, varicella (chicken pox), as well as some cell cultures and noninfectious bacteria. At this level precautions against the biohazardous materials in
question are minimal, most likely involving gloves and some sort of facial protection.
Biohazard Level 2: Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are
difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, some
influenza A strains, Lyme disease, salmonella, mumps, measles, scrapie, dengue fever,
HIV. "Routine diagnostic work with clinical specimens can be done safely at Biosafety
Level 2, using Biosafety Level 2 practices and procedures. Research work (including
co-cultivation, virus replication studies, or manipulations involving concentrated virus)
can be done in a BSL-2 (P2) facility, using BSL-3 practices and procedures.
Biohazard Level 3: Bacteria and viruses that can cause severe to fatal disease in
humans, but for which vaccines or other treatments exist, such as anthrax, West Nile
virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, SARS virus, MERS coronavirus, hantaviruses,
tuberculosis, typhus, Rift Valley fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, yellow fever, and
malaria. Among parasites Plasmodium falciparum, which causes Malaria, and
Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes trypanosomiasis, also come under this level.

Biohazard Level 4: Viruses and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans,
and for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and
Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, Lassa fever virus, Crimean
Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic diseases. Variola virus (smallpox) is
an agent that is worked with at BSL-4 despite the existence of a vaccine, as it has been
erradicated. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a positive
pressure personnel suit, with a segregated air supply, is mandatory. The entrance and
exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet
light room, autonomous detection system, and other safety precautions designed to
destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically
secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going
to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination
procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release.
4. Biosafety in the Microbiology Laboratory
Under CDC guidelines, Biosafety level 1 (BSL1) procedures include the following:
1. Access to the laboratory is limited or restricted at the discretion of the laboratory
director when experiments or work with cultures and specimens are in progress.
2. Persons wash their hands after they handle viable materials and animals, after
removing gloves, and before leaving the laboratory.
3. Eating, drinking, smoking, handling contact lenses, and applying cosmetics are
not permitted in the work areas where there is reasonable likelihood of exposure
to potentially infectious materials.
4. Persons who wear contact lenses in laboratories should also wear goggles or a
face shield.
5. Food is stored outside the work area in cabinets or refrigerators designated and
used for this purpose only.
6. Mouth pipetting is prohibited; mechanical pipetting devices are used.
7. All procedures are performed carefully to minimize the creation of splashes or
aerosols.
8. Work surfaces are decontaminated at least once a day and after any spill of
viable material.
9. All cultures, stocks, and other regulated wastes are decontaminated before
disposal by an approved decontamination method, such as autoclaving.
Materials to be decontaminated outside of the immediate laboratory are to be

placed in a durable, leakproof container and closed for transport from the
laboratory. Materials to be decontaminated at off-site from the laboratory are
packaged in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations,
before removal from the facility.
10. It is recommended that laboratory coats, gowns, or uniforms be worn to prevent
contamination or soiling of street clothes.
11. Gloves should be worn if the skin on the hands is broken or if a rash exists.
12. Protective eyewear should be worn for anticipated splashes of microorganisms or
other hazardous materials to the face.
13. Laboratories should have doors for access control.
14. Each laboratory should contain a sink for handwashing.
15. The laboratory should be designed so that it can be easily cleaned. Carpets and
rugs in laboratories are not appropriate.
16. If the laboratory has windows that open, they are fitted with fly screens.
For Biosafety level 2 procedures, in addition to BSL1 requirements, the following
procedures are required.
1. limit or restrict access to the laboratory when work with infectious agents is in
progress, including determining who may be at increased risk;
2. establish policies and procedures whereby only persons who have been advised
of the potential hazards and meet specific entry requirements (e.g.,immunization)
may enter the laboratory;
3. ensure that laboratory personnel are offered appropriate immunizations or tests
for the agents handled or potentially present in the laboratory (e.g., hepatitis B
vaccine or TB skin testing);
4. select and provide appropriate personal protective equipment required for work
with hazardous materials;
5. ensure that the biohazard symbol is used to identify equipment, containers,
rooms and materials that contain or are contaminated with viable hazardous
agents or human blood/tissue;
6. ensure that a biological safety cabinet is available for procedures with a potential
for creating infectious aerosols or splashes (centrifuging, grinding, blending,
vigorous shaking or mixing, sonic disruption, opening containers with different

internal pressures, inoculating animals intranasally, harvesting infected tissues

from animals or embryonate eggs), or high concentrations or large volumes of
infectious agents or organisms containing recombinant DNA molecules are
used.
7. ensure that laboratory and support personnel receive appropriate training on the
potential hazards associated with the work involved, the necessary precautions
to prevent exposures, and the exposure evaluation procedures, and that
personnel receive annual updates or additional training as necessary for
procedural or policy changes; and
8. develop standard operating procedures incorporating biosafety procedures or a
biosafety manual prepared specifically for the laboratory and safety procedures
for toxins, advise personnel of special hazards, and require them to read and
follow instructions on practices and procedures.
References:
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Summary - (CDC) Biosafety in Microbiological and Biological Labs [Internet].

[IBC] Institutional Biosafety Committee; c 2003 [cited 2015 June 22]. Available
from: http://www.ouhsc.edu/IBC-Norman/default.asp
Biosafety Levels 1, 2, 3 & 4 [Internet]. Lab Manager; c2015 [cited 2015 June 22].
Available from: http://www.labmanager.com/lab-health-andsafety/2010/12/biosafety-levels-1-2-3-4?fw1pk=2#.VYrHExuqqkp
The History of the Biohazard Sign Symbol [Internet]. MySafetySign.com; c2015
[cited 2015 June 22]. Available from:
http://www.mysafetysign.com/bio/biohazard_symbol.aspx