Compliance with the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard and NIH Guidelines may require that laboratory personnel receive specific types of training. This training may include Bloodborne Pathogen, Biosafety Level 1 and/or Biosafety Level 2 Training.
The Biosafety Officer will provide training opportunities at the start of each academic semester, at the beginning of the summer and as needed by request. Training is available in scheduled seminar type setting for larger groups and as a one-on-one session (by appointment). Self-study courses are also available here. You must notify the Biosafety Officer before you complete a self study course. You will also be required to take a short exam if you choose to complete your training through a self study course.
Biosafety Level 1 Training
Training is available for researchers and students who are working in labs that are designated as Biosafety Level 1. This training course offers practical information about prudent lab practices and the policies at F&M for the use and disposal of potentially biohazardous materials. Although this training is not required, many researchers find this training to be useful to their students. It is appropriate for use by students in both teaching and research labs at BSL1.
Bloodborne Pathogen Training
Bloodborne Pathogen training is required for everyone who works in a lab where human and non-human primate blood, tissues, cells and other potentially infectious material is present. This includes human cell and tissue culture.
Everyone working in a lab that uses or stores these materials is required to complete Bloodborne Pathogen training whether or not a particular individual is directly working with the potentially infectious material.
Bloodborne Pathogen training must be completed annually.
Biosafety Level 2 Training
All researchers and students who are working in Biosafety Level 2 labs must receive BSL2 Training. This includes both students who are working in labs for course credit and those who are employed as student workers. All personnel working in a BSL2 lab must undergo BSL2 training, even if their individual work does not involve BSL2 agents.
Biosafety Level 2 training must be completed once and does not have to be repeated annually.
All researchers and students working in BSL2 labs must also receive hands on training in the specific procedures that will be utilized for their experiments. It is the responsibility of the PI to provide this training before work begins and to provide documentation to the Biosafety Officer.