Biosafety

Class II Biosafety Cabinets should be certified annually to ensure employee, product and environmental protection. The Office of Biosafety recommends that all laboratories operating under BSL2 or higher practices and procedures, utilize companies that have certifiers through the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). The Office of Biosafety requires that all laboratories operating a BSC, use companies that have certifiers through the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). The PI should maintain all documentation involved in BSC certification for a minimum of 3 years, including a datasheet that documents all airflows and tests provided. Biosafety or the Institutional Biosafety Committee may at any time request documentation on BSC certification. If you need any assistance or have any questions related to the operation of your BSC, please contact the UGA Office of Biosafety.

NSF-certified biosafety cabinet testers that provide service to Georgia (last updated 02/2024):

STERIS/Controlled Environment Certification Services Inc (CECS Inc.)
423-899-6806
Information: cecs_info@steris.com
Direct contact for technicians: Adam Upham, Benjamin Warner

SafetyPlus LLC
877-821-9822
Info@SafetyPlusLLC.com

Technical Safety Services LLC
404-806-0927

ENV Services
800-394-3368

Autoclaves are sterilizers using high pressure and high temperature steam to sterilize media, glassware, instruments, waste, etc. To accomplish the desired end goal and to protect the user and the environment from hazardous materials, the autoclave must be used correctly. Additionally, wastes must be managed in compliance with state and local regulations. The physical hazards that are involved with steam autoclaves are heat, steam, and pressure. The biological hazards involve potential exposure to viable human pathogens. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure his/her employees are trained before operating any autoclave unit and that procedural and instructional documents are followed. You should never attempt to operate an autoclave unless you have been thoroughly trained on autoclave operations. Personnel who use an autoclave must be trained to understand proper packaging, loading, labeling, and operation procedures. Choose the links below for guidance on the documentation required for autoclave usage. You may also consult your UGA Biosafety Manual for additional guidance on how to safely operate an autoclave. Please contact the Office of Biosafety for questions or concerns regarding the safe operation of your autoclave.

• Safe Use of Autoclaves
• Autoclave Log
• Biohazard Waste Disposal Flow Chart

• Guidance for the Safe Handling of Sharps in the Biological Research Laboratory
• Waste: What do with Sharps

See BSL-2 Biological Spill Response  for procedures involving infectious biological agents (that are non-select agents) at the University of Georgia.

See DOT Guide to Transporting Infectious Substances Safely for detailed procedures on transporting infectious substances.

A Biohazardous laboratory incident or accident involves the following:

1. Any potential or known exposure to Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) agents or higher;
2. Any potential or known system failure that could result in the release of a BSL2 or higher organism from primary containment;
3. Any potential breach in biosecurity in containment facilities

All employees are responsible for reporting potential biohazardous incidents to their immediate supervisor. See the Biohazardous Laboratory Incidence/Accident Response and Reporting Protocol.

The Office of Biosafety requires that human and other primate cells be handled using BSL-2 practices and containment as described in the BMBL 5th Edition. See Use of Human Cell Lines.