What is Biosafety?
UW–Madison laboratories that work with pathogens adhere to strict procedures and safeguards to ensure the safety of workers, the community and the environment. Collectively, these principles and practices are known as biosafety. When properly followed, biosafety practices help prevent accidents that could pose risks to lab workers and others.
Laboratory facilities receive ratings based on their infrastructure and procedures. These ratings, known as Biosafety Levels, or BSLs, determine the minimum biosafety requirements for facilities based on the risk posed by the infectious material being studied.
In the U.S. there are four basic BSLs, ranging from BSL-1 to BSL-4, with BSL-4 being the highest biosafety level. At UW–Madison, the majority of labs conducting pathogen research work at BSL-2, with a smaller number working at BSL-3. There are no BSL-4 labs on the UW–Madison campus.
Biosafety Laboratory Requirements
- Training
- Personal protective equipment (e.g., masks, gloves, safety glasses, lab coats, gowns, personal respirators)
- Engineering controls (e.g., safety equipment including biosafety cabinets and HEPA filters)
- Facility design, including barriers, ventilation and waste management
- Standardized procedures for handling pathogens, chemicals and other dangerous materials.
What is Biosecurity?
Laboratories on the UW–Madison campus where pathogen research takes place must not only provide a safe environment for conducting research, but also be secure from threats posed by loss, theft or misuse of the infectious materials. Principles and procedures that help protect pathogens from misuse are referred to as biosecurity.
Biosecurity limits access to the facilities where pathogen research takes place, as well as to research materials and information. It complements biosafety practices to ensure the research can be conducted safely.
In addition to basic biosecurity principles, certain pathogen research requires additional security review. This includes research with federal Select Agent pathogens, as well as research that could be misapplied to pose a threat to public health, the food supply and/or national security (known as dual use research of concern, or DURC).
Biosecurity Requirements
- Determining suitability of lab staff prior to authorizing work with certain materials
- Establishing physical security of the facilities where pathogens are housed, as well as of sensitive experimental data and other documentation
- Providing information security, including cybersecurity and protection of digital data
- Working with law enforcement to conduct security risk assessments, or background checks, of staff working with certain high-risk materials or information.