Equipements de Protection
Safety Equipment (Primary Barriers)
1.
Properly maintained biological safety cabinets, preferably Class II, or other appropriate personal protective equipment or physical containment devices are used whenever:
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Procedures with a potential for creating infectious aerosols or splashes are conducted. These may include:
- Centrifuging, grinding, blending, vigorous shaking or mixing
- Sonic disruption
- Opening containers of infectious materials whose internal pressures may be different from ambient pressures
- Inoculating animals
- Harvesting infected tissues from animals or embryonated eggs
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High concentrations or large volumes of infectious agents are used. Such materials may be centrifuged in the open laboratory if:
- Sealed rotor heads or centrifuge safety cups are used
- These rotors or safety cups are opened only in a biological safety cabinet
2.
Face protection (goggles, mask, face shield or other splatter guard) is used for anticipated splashes or sprays of infectious or other hazardous materials to the face when the microorganisms must be manipulated outside the BSC.
3.
Protective laboratory coats or gowns designated for lab use are worn while in the laboratory. This protective clothing is removed and left in the laboratory before leaving for non-laboratory areas (e.g., cafeteria, library, administrative offices). All protective clothing is either disposed of in the laboratory or laundered by the institution; it should never be taken home by personnel.
4.
Gloves are worn when hands may contact potentially infectious materials, contaminated surfaces or equipment. Wearing two pairs of gloves may be appropriate. Gloves are disposed of when contaminated and removed when work with infectious materials is completed or when the integrity of the glove is compromised. Disposable gloves are not washed, reused, or used for touching "clean" surfaces (keyboards, telephones, etc.), and they should not be worn outside the lab. Hands are washed following removal of gloves.