AS/NZS 2243.3:1995

1 - AS/NZS 2243.3:1995 SAFETY IN LABORATORIES - MICROBIOLOGY
4 - PREFACE
5 - CONTENTS
8 - FOREWORD
9 - SECTION 1 SCOPE AND GENERAL
9 - 1.1 SCOPE
9 - 1.2 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
10 - 1.3 DEFINITIONS
10 - 1.3.1 Aerosol
10 - 1.3.2 Antiseptic
10 - 1.3.3 Aseptic technique
10 - 1.3.4 Biological containment
10 - 1.3.5 Cross-contamination
10 - 1.3.6 Decontamination
10 - 1.3.7 Disinfectant
11 - 1.3.8 Exposure standard
11 - 1.3.9 Flexible film isolator
11 - 1.3.10 Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee (GMAC)
11 - 1.3.11 HEPA filter
11 - 1.3.12 Infectious
11 - 1.3.13 Institutional biosafety committee (IBC)
11 - 1.3.14 Microbiological hazard
11 - 1.3.15 Pathogen
11 - 1.3.16 Physical containment
11 - 1.3.17 Primary barrier
11 - 1.3.18 Secondary barrier
12 - 1.3.19 Sharps
12 - 1.3.20 Sterilization
12 - 1.3.21 Viable
13 - SECTION 2 ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITY
13 - 2.1 RESPONSIBILITY
13 - 2.1.1 Management policy
13 - 2.1.2 Management responsibility
13 - 2.1.3 Safety officer responsible for microbiology
13 - 2.1.4 Laboratory supervisor
13 - 2.1.5 Personal responsibility and behaviour
14 - 2.2 HEALTH MANAGEMENT
14 - 2.2.1 Injuries
14 - 2.2.2 Blood samples
14 - 2.2.3 Immunization
14 - 2.2.4 High risk persons
14 - 2.2.5 Antenatal precautions
14 - 2.3 PROVISION OF SERVICES
14 - 2.4 IMPORTED BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
15 - 2.5 INCIDENT/INJURY REPORTING
15 - 2.6 FIRST AID KIT
16 - SECTION 3 CLASSIFICATION OF LABORATORIES, PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES
16 - 3.1 GENERAL
16 - 3.2 CLASSIFICATION OF LABORATORIES
16 - 3.2.1 General
16 - 3.2.2 Physical Containment Level 1 (PC1)
17 - 3.2.3 Physical Containment Level 2 (PC 2)
17 - 3.2.4 Physical Containment Level 3 (PC3)
17 - 3.2.5 Physical Containment Level 4 (PC4)
17 - 3.3 LABORATORIES FOR GENETIC MANIPULATION
17 - 3.4 PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 1 (PC1) REQUIREMENTS
17 - 3.4.1 General
18 - 3.4.2 Laboratory facilities
18 - 3.4.3 Personal protective clothing and equipment
18 - 3.4.4 Work practices
19 - 3.5 PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 2 (PC2) REQUIREMENTS
19 - 3.5.1 General
20 - 3.5.2 Laboratory facilities
20 - 3.5.3 Personal protective equipment
20 - 3.5.4 Containment equipment
21 - 3.5.5 Work practices
22 - 3.6 PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 3 (PC3) REQUIREMENTS
22 - 3.6.1 General
22 - 3.6.2 Laboratory facilities
23 - 3.6.3 Laboratory ventilation
23 - 3.6.4 Personal protective equipment
23 - 3.6.5 Containment equipment
23 - 3.6.6 Work practices
24 - 3.6.7 Health monitoring
24 - 3.7 PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 4 (PC4) REQUIREMENTS
24 - 3.7.1 General
24 - 3.7.2 Laboratory facilities
25 - 3.7.3 Personal protective equipment
25 - 3.7.4 Containment equipment
25 - 3.7.5 Work practices
26 - 3.7.6 Health monitoring
27 - 3.7.7 Positive pressure suit area
27 - 3.8 GUIDELINES FOR LARGE SCALE GENETIC MANIPULATION WORK
28 - SECTION 4 DEGREE OF HAZARD FROM MICROORGANISMS
28 - 4.1 CLASSIFICATION OF INFECTIVE MICROORGANISMS BY RISK GROUP
28 - 4.2 RISK-GROUPING OF MICROORGANISMS BY TYPE
28 - 4.2.1 General
28 - 4.2.2 Bacteria, Chlamydiae, Rickettsiae and Mycoplasmas
28 - 4.2.3 Parasites
28 - 4.2.4 Fungi
29 - 4.2.5 Viruses
29 - 4.2.6 Exotic animal viruses
29 - 4.2.7 Fish pathogens
29 - 4.2.8 Plant pathogens
39 - SECTION 5 LABORATORY SPILLS
39 - 5.1 GENERAL
39 - 5.2 PLANNING
39 - 5.3 SPILLS INSIDE BIOLOGICAL SAFETY CABINETS
40 - 5.4 SPILLS OUTSIDE BIOLOGICAL SAFETY CABINETS
40 - 5.4.1 General
40 - 5.4.2 Spills of human blood and body fluids
40 - 5.4.3 Spills of minor risk
40 - 5.4.4 Spills of major hazard
41 - 5.5 CENTRIFUGE SPILLS
42 - SECTION 6 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS AND SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
42 - 6.1 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS
42 - 6.1.1 Toxic substances
42 - 6.1.2 Cleaning
42 - 6.1.3 Discard containers
42 - 6.1.4 Bunsen burners
42 - 6.1.5 Disposable syringes and needles
42 - 6.2 CENTRIFUGES
42 - 6.2.1 General
42 - 6.2.2 Sealed-bucket and sealed-rotor centrifuges
43 - 6.2.3 Other centrifuges
43 - 6.3 FREEZE-DRYING AND RECONSTITUTION OF CULTURES
43 - 6.4 LIQUID NITROGEN
44 - 6.5 PRESSURE STEAM STERILIZERS
44 - 6.5.1 General
44 - 6.5.2 Air removal
44 - 6.5.3 Downward displacement sterilizers
45 - 6.5.4 Pre-vacuum sterilization
45 - 6.5.5 Times for sterilization
45 - 6.5.6 Monitoring of sterilization cycles
45 - 6.6 BIOLOGICAL SAFETY CABINETS
46 - 6.7 CYTOTOXIC DRUG SAFETY CABINETS
47 - SECTION 7 WASTE DISPOSAL
47 - 7.1 COLLECTION
47 - 7.2 TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF WASTES
48 - SECTION 8 TRANSPORT OF INFECTIOUS AND OTHER BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
48 - 8.1 GENERAL
48 - 8.2 TRANSPORT REGULATIONS
48 - 8.3 IMPORTATION REGULATIONS
48 - 8.4 CATEGORIES OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
49 - 8.5 DOCUMENTATION
52 - SECTION 9 LABORATORY CLEANING
52 - 9.1 GENERAL
52 - 9.2 CLEANING PERSONNEL
52 - 9.3 BENCHES AND WORK SURFACES
52 - 9.4 WALLS AND SHELVES
52 - 9.5 FLOOR CLEANING
53 - SECTION 10 WORK AREAS
53 - 10.1 WARNING SIGNS
53 - 10.2 SEGREGATION OF SPECIAL AREAS
53 - 10.3 ANIMAL AREAS
54 - SECTION 11 ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HOUSES
54 - 11.1 GENERAL
54 - 11.2 PERSONAL SAFETY
54 - 11.3 DISSECTION AND POST-MORTEM EXAMINATIONS
54 - 11.4 STERILIZATION AND WASTE DISPOSAL
54 - 11.5 PRELIMINARY PROCEDURES FOR GENETIC MANIPULATION WORK
54 - 11.5.1 General
55 - 11.5.2 Principal investigator
55 - 11.5.3 Institutional Biosafety Committee
55 - 11.6 REQUIREMENTS FOR HOUSING OF INFECTIOUS ANIMALS
56 - 11.7 DESIGN OF ANIMAL HOUSE FACILITIES
56 - 11.7.1 Animal housing
56 - 11.7.2 Details of animal involved
56 - 11.7.3 Type of work
56 - 11.7.4 Details of the genetic manipulation
57 - 11.7.5 Other work being done in the same holding facility
57 - 11.7.6 Disposal of animals
57 - 11.7.7 Transport of animals
57 - 11.8 REQUIREMENTS FOR ANIMAL HOUSE CONTAINMENT LEVEL PC2
57 - 11.8.1 Construction
57 - 11.8.2 Operating procedures
58 - 11.9 REQUIREMENTS FOR ANIMAL HOUSE CONTAINMENT LEVEL PC3
58 - 11.9.1 General
59 - 11.9.2 Construction
59 - 11.9.3 Operating procedures
61 - SECTION 12 CLASSIFICATION OF PLANT HOUSES, PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES
61 - 12.1 GENERAL
61 - 12.2 REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT HOUSE LEVEL PC1
61 - 12.2.1 General
61 - 12.2.2 Construction
61 - 12.2.3 Operating procedures
61 - 12.3 REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT HOUSE LEVEL PC2
61 - 12.3.1 General
61 - 12.3.2 Construction
61 - 12.3.3 Operating procedures
62 - 12.4 REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT HOUSE LEVEL PC3
62 - 12.4.1 General
62 - 12.4.2 Construction
63 - 12.4.3 Operating procedures
63 - 12.5 REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT HOUSE LEVEL PC4
63 - 12.5.1 General
63 - 12.5.2 Construction
63 - 12.5.3 Operating procedures
64 - SECTION 13 CLASSIFICATION OF INSECT LABORATORIES, PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES
64 - 13.1 REQUIREMENTS FOR INSECT HOUSE LEVEL PC2
64 - 13.1.2 Construction
64 - 13.1.3 Operating procedures
65 - 13.2 REQUIREMENTS FOR INSECT HOUSE LEVEL PC3
65 - 13.2.1 General
65 - 13.2.2 Construction
65 - 13.2.3 Operating procedures
65 - 13.3 REQUIREMENTS FOR INSECT HOUSE LEVEL PC4
65 - 13.3.1 General
66 - 13.3.2 Construction
66 - 13.3.3 Operating procedures
67 - SECTION 14 BIBLIOGRAPHY
68 - APPENDIX A - TYPICAL MICROBIOLOGICAL INCIDENT/ILLNESS REPORT
69 - APPENDIX B - CHEMICAL DISINFECTANTS
69 - B1 INTRODUCTION
69 - B2 SUSCEPTIBILITY OF MICROORGANISMS
69 - B3 TYPES OF CHEMICAL DISINFECTANTS
69 - B4 FACTORS AFFECTING ACTIVITY OF DISINFECTANTS
69 - B5 CHOICE OF DISINFECTANT
70 - B6 PROPERTIES OF COMMONLY-USED DISINFECTANTS
70 - B6.1 Chlorine
70 - B6.2 Iodine
70 - B6.3 Formaldehyde
71 - B6.4 Glutaraldehyde
72 - B6.5 Peracetic acid
72 - B6.6 Peroxygen biocides
72 - B6.7 Hydrogen peroxide
72 - B6.8 Alcohols
72 - B6.9 Phenolics
72 - B6.10 Quaternary ammonium compounds
73 - B6.11 Chlorhexidine
73 - B6.12 Acids and alkalis
73 - B7 CONTAMINATION OF DISINFECTANTS
75 - APPENDIX C - BIOLOGICAL HAZARD SYMBOL
76 - APPENDIX D - REFERENCES AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
76 - D1 REFERENCES
77 - D2 RELATED DOCUMENTS

Specifies requirements and gives recommended practices relating to safety in laboratories in which microorganisms are handled. Includes descriptions of risk group categories for microorganisms and corresponding containment level facilities.

This Standard sets out requirements, responsibilities and general guidelines relating to safety in laboratories where microorganisms are handled. It is intended for laboratories, including animal and plant houses, where microbiological work such as research, teaching, diagnosis, quality control and regulatory analysis, e.g. of foodstuffs, water and effluents, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, is undertaken. This Standard should be read in conjunction with AS 2243.1.

First published as AS 2243.3-1979.
Second edition 1985.
Third edition 1991.
Jointly revised and designated AS/NZS 2243.3:1995.