Yale’s biological safety programs have been developed to protect staff, students, faculty, and visitors from potentially hazardous biological materials, to assist with compliance with regulations, standards, and guidelines pertaining to biological research, and to promote good microbiological work practices. Eighty percent of published laboratory associated infections have an unknown route of exposure 1. Among laboratory associated infections with a known route of exposure, 80 percent of the time a breakdown in good microbiological work practices was the root cause 2. With a goal of improving these statistics, the EHS biosafety group focuses the bulk of its outreach on training, onsite inspections, and the review of work practices with groups handling biohazards and regulated biological materials.
We recognize the importance of up-to-date online information to keep up with the rapid pace of your research, but we pride ourselves with bringing our program out to the field and in establishing strong relationships with our faculty. This has been greatly facilitated by our EHS safety advisor program. Our safety advisors receive cross-training in all EHS disciplines and are required to have at least an annual check in with you to review your existing registered biological research, discuss what you are currently doing, and listen to your plans for upcoming work. This is the hallmark of our program, has helped us sustain positive relationships with Yale laboratories, and has also assisted with maintaining compliance with applicable local, state, and federal research requirements. We look forward to meeting you and working together on our mutual goals of minimizing exposures and preventing laboratory associated infections.
1 Byers KB, Harding AL. Laboratory-associated infections. In: Wooley DP, Byers KB, editors. Biological Safety: Principles and Practices. 5th ed. Washington (DC): ASM Press; 2017. p. 59–92
2 Phillips, G.B. 1965b. “Causal Factors in Microbiological Laboratory Accidents and Infections.” Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, Misc. publ. 2. AD 615-012N, (National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA.) in Harding, A.L. and Byers, K.B. 2006. Laboratory-Associated Infection,” p. 53-77. In Fleming, D.O. and Hunt, D.L. (ed.), Biological Safety: Principles and Practices, ASM Press, Washington, DC.