Sei sulla pagina 1di 7

Biological hazards and their control

Hazard:
A hazard is any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects on something or
someone. Basically, a hazard is the potential for harm or an adverse effect (for example, to
people as health effects, to organizations as property or equipment losses, or to the
environment).

Workplace hazards also include practices or conditions that release uncontrolled energy like:

 An object that could fall from a height (potential or gravitational energy),


 A run-away chemical reaction (chemical energy),
 The release of compressed gas or steam (pressure; high temperature),
 Entanglement of hair or clothing in rotating equipment (kinetic energy), or
 Contact with electrodes of a battery or capacitor (electrical energy).

Types of hazards:
There are some types of hazards are:

 Biological -bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and humans, etc.,
 Chemical -depends on the physical, chemical and toxic properties of the chemical,
 Ergonomic -repetitive movements, improper set up of workstation, etc.,
 Physical -radiation, magnetic fields, pressure extremes (high pressure or vacuum), noise,
etc.,
 Psychosocial -stress, violence, etc.,
 Safety -slipping/tripping hazards, inappropriate machine guarding, equipment
malfunctions or breakdowns.

Biological Hazards:
Sources of biological hazards may include bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and
humans. These sources can cause a variety of health effects ranging from skin irritation and
allergies to infections (e.g., tuberculosis, AIDS), cancer and so on.

Symbol of biological hazards:


The term and its associated symbol are generally used as a warning, so that those potentially
exposed to the substances will know to take precautions. The biohazard symbol was developed

1
in 1966 by Charles Baldwin, an environmental-health engineer working for the Dow Chemical
Company on the containment products.

It is used in the labeling of biological materials that carry a significant health risk, including viral
samples and used hypodermic needles. In Unicode, the biohazard symbol is U+2623 (☣).

Biological Hazards:
If your workplace deals with animals, plants or organic materials, then it may be a dangerous
source of biological hazards. It is not limited to these places; actually people around a sick
person are susceptible to a biological hazard too.

Here are types of things that are considered biological hazards.

• Fungi.
• Mold.
• Body Fluids such as blood.
• Bacteria.
• Viruses.
• Animal Materials.
• Plant Material.
• Insects.

A detailed compilation of biohazards by Dutkiewicz et al. (1988) shows how widespread the
risks can be to workers in many other occupations as well (table 1).

Sector Examples

Agriculture Cultivating and harvesting


Breeding and tending animals

2
Laboratory animal care

Health care Patient care: medical, dental

Pharmaceutical and herbal products

Personal care Hairdressing, chiropody

Clinical and research laboratories

Biotechnology Production facilities

Day-care centers

Sewage and compost facilities

Industrial waste disposal systems

Source: Dutkiewicz et al. 1988.

Types of Biological Hazards:


• Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
• Anthrax
• Hepatitis
• Influenza
• The Common Cold
• Lyme Disease
• Tuberculosis

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:


Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a virus that slowly destroys the body's immune
system, leaving it vulnerable to a host of illnesses, eventually causing death, as there is
presently no cure for AIDS.

Anthrax:
This is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium, called Bacillus, which produces a spore
which can cause infections of the lungs. It can also affect the skin, mouth, throat, and part of
the digestive system. Usually it is acquired via inhalation or eating contaminated undercooked
food (usually meat).

Hepatitis:
This refers to an infection of the liver. There are various types of hepatitis, referred to as A, B, C,
D, and E. Some are caused by infections, some by a specific virus. It can be spread from human
to human via bodily fluids. Immunization exists for A and B, but not for the others. Some forms

3
clear on their own after a few weeks, while others, in some cases, may cause death or at least
severe illness.

Influenza:
Not to be confused with the common cold, which is much less seriously, influenza, also known
as the flu, is a virus that affects the respiratory track (throat, lungs, nose, mouth, etc). The
elderly, and people with other health problems, are much more susceptible to complications. In
some cases it can cause death. Immunization exists for influenza, which seems to get worse in
the winter, but it changes regularly so the medical profession is always working to keep up with
the different forms.

The Common Cold:


Also caused by a virus, but much less severe than influenza. It is very difficult to distinguish
from the flu, so if symptoms persist medical attention should be sought, especially for
susceptible groups (e.g. elderly and really young).

Lyme disease:
A bacterium that is spread by ticks, which is spread to the host (e.g. rodents, pets, humans,
etc.). It can cause flu-like symptoms, as well as arthritis, and cardiac irregularities. This is of
particular concern for outdoor workers in areas where there are a lot of trees/plants and wild
animals. Other symptoms: rashes, extreme fatigue, sore joints, headaches, fever, etc.

Rabies:
A very serious virus that infects and destroys brain tissue that will lead to death if medical
attention isn't obtained quickly. Anyone suspecting of coming in contact with an infection must

Seek medical help immediately (vaccination), before warning signs appear. Once warning signs
appear it is almost always too late to save that person. It is contracted by exposure to bodily
fluids from any warm-blooded animal, even a scratch from an infected cat or dog, or droplets
enter into the eyes or nose.

Tuberculosis:
An infection of the lungs caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, which infects
the lungs. Weight loss, fatigue, fever, and coughing are warning signs. Treatment exists and is
usually very successful. Many times treatment is not needed as the person's immune system
can handle the infections. But precautions should be taken not to transmit the disease.

Control measures of biological hazards:


There are minimum and recommended control measures which are required for work at each
containment level and these are specified in the relevant HSE, Scottish Government and DEFRA

4
guidance. Biological containment laboratories, animal facilities and plant facilities must
therefore be classified into one of the three containment levels (CL 1 - 3). Basically,
containment level 1 is for low risk work, containment level 2 is for medium risk work, and
containment level 3 is for high risk work.

• Control Measures:
Control measures will predominantly reflect the risks, activity and potential routes of exposure
of people, animals or plants or release to the environment. Control measures must be selected
on the basis of the specific requirements of the legislation which are detailed in relevant HSE,
Scottish Government and DEFRA guidance.

• Local Exhaust Ventilation and Microbiological Safety Cabinets:


Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) is equipment used to control airborne contaminants by
containing and capturing hazardous solids, liquids or gases. There are many types of LEV such as
fume cupboards (FC) and microbiological safety cabinets (MSC). You should provide details of
the LEV which will be required to control aerosols of biological agents or hazards. There are
three basic types of MSC which offer different types of protection to the operator, work and
environment. Microbiological safety cabinets function by using airflows to capture hazardous
aerosols generated by work, transferring microorganisms away from the operator before
trapping them in a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Selection requires an assessment
of the work and operator protection requirements but also the proposed location as draughts
or physical obstacles may compromise cabinet performance. MSC must be tested after
installation to ensure they provide operator and environment protection. Commissioning tests
need to be repeated whenever an MSC is moved or there is a major change to the local
environment.

• Special Controls:
You should provide details of any special control measures that you intend to use for your
work. For example work with toxic or carcinogenic hazards requires a high level of control.
When selecting the appropriate measures for controlling the risks of carcinogens or toxins, the
potential for long term and possibly fatal effects must be taken into account. Strict control
measures should be adopted including for example, totally enclosed process and handling,
extensive cleaning and disinfection procedures, safe storage and disposal and prohibition of
eating and drinking.

• Personal Protective Equipment:


You should provide details of the personal protective equipment (PPE) which will be required to
protect the body, hands, eyes, face etc. such as laboratory coats, gowns, gloves or spectacles,
goggles and face shields. The risk assessment may specify that PPE is required to control
exposure to a biological agent or hazard when it is not possible to achieve adequate control
5
over exposure by any other means and then it should be used only in addition to other
appropriate controls.

• Respiratory Protective Equipment:


You should provide details of the respiratory protective equipment (RPE) which will be required
to protect the respiration such as disposable masks, respirators or breathing apparatus. RPE
should only be used where other more effective control measures cannot be used and
generally only as an only additional control.

• Storage and Transport of Biological Agents and Hazards:


You should consider at this stage the quantity you need and the facilities required to store the
biological agents and hazards. Special conditions may also be required such as ventilation and
security. You should provide details of how you will safely transport the biological agents and
hazards.

• Destruction or Inactivation of Biological Agents and Hazards:


You should provide details of how you will destroy the biological agents and hazards used in the
work. The proper inactivation and disposal of waste is very important part of work. There are
chemical and physical methods of inactivating biological agents and hazards.

• Disinfection:
Disinfectants must be appropriate for the relevant biological agents or hazards, animals or
plants used in the work. The effectiveness of many disinfectants can vary considerable
depending on the biological agent, concentration, exposure time, pH and presence of organic
matter, liquids or solids. Disinfectants may be used for inactivating biological agents and
hazards in solid and liquid materials and also on contaminated surfaces and equipment.

• Autoclaving:
Autoclaving is the most effective inactivation method and by far the easiest and least time
consuming to both validate and monitor. For these reasons it is strongly recommended that all
biological agent or hazard contaminated waste including all liquid waste and waste destined for
incineration is autoclaved unless there is a very good reason to use another method. It is
generally accepted that any biological agent, except TSE which are a special case, will be
inactivated by autoclaving under conditions that maintain 121ºC for at least 15 min with full
steam penetration. Note, the minimum 15 min excludes the time required to reach 121ºC, and
the above conditions must be maintained even in the most inaccessible positions of the load.
TSE will be inactivated by autoclaving at 134ºC. Inactivation is defined as achieving a sufficient
% kill commensurate with the risks although 100% kill is normally required. The % kill to be
achieved must be defined and appropriate methods of validation and monitoring that
demonstrate this is achieved need to be specified and employed. Records must be kept.

6
• Waste Management and Disposal:
All aspects of waste management need to be safely carried out including labeling, safe handling,
storage, transport and disposal. Waste containing biological agents and hazards should be
properly inactivated using a validated means before disposal. You should describe what waste
containers will be used such as waste bags, bins or sharps bins. You should also briefly describe
how your waste will be disposed such as whether it will be hazardous or non-hazardous waste,
biological, chemical or radioactive waste. Please see the SEPS waste website for further details
about waste management and disposal.

• Emergency Procedures:
You need to describe the control measures and emergency procedures which will be used to
protect people and the environment from exposure to the biological agents and hazards in the
work in an emergency. You should provide details of the control measures that will be required
to deal with accidents and emergencies that could cause people or the environment to be
exposed to biological agents or hazards or an accidental release of biological agents or hazards.
The manager, principal investigator and workers are responsible for ensuring that incidents and
emergencies are properly dealt with since these are the experts in the biological agents and
hazards and the work.

• Emergency Contacts:
You should provide the names and contact details of people to contact in case of an accident or
emergency. This must include the name of the principal investigator or manager who is in
charge of and understands the work together with details of other relevant persons including
the workers doing the work and colleagues involved in the work.

• Information, Instruction, Training and Supervision:


You should provide details of the information, instruction, training, and supervision required for
the work. All workers and visitors must be provided with adequate information, instructions,
training and supervision to enable them to carry out their work safely. This should include local
rules, safe working practices and standard operating procedures on the hazards, risks and
effective application of control measures and emergency procedures. Standard operating
procedures are required for every aspect of the work relating to high containment laboratories.
It is important that information, instructions and training is appropriate to the level of risk and
in a form which will be understood by those involved in the work. Information should be kept
up to date taking into account any significant changes in the work

Potrebbero piacerti anche