Laboratory facilities that handle infectious agents are categorized by the Biological Safety Level (BSL) that corresponds to the risk level of the pathogens being handled. BSL-3 Laboratories are designated for “indigenous or exotic agents that may cause serious or potentially lethal disease through the inhalation route of exposure”, according to the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories or BMBL.

The BSL-3 laboratory is pervasive worldwide for applications ranging from microbiological research; scientific teaching; biomedical, diagnostic & clinical, biosecurity, vaccine research, and various production facilities. BSL-3 labs are also used for handling pathogens with a higher-risk or unknown risk, especially when the facility is outfitted with a Class III Biosafety Cabinet.

Construction of the BSL-3 Laboratory

Until recently, the BSL-3 laboratory has exclusively been constructed as a traditional fixed site facility. The most complex components are the HVAC/air filtration systems and controls. For example, it is imperative that all ductwork and plenums are properly engineered and integrated with the critical components including the Building Automation System (BAS).

Many regions do not have the specialized mechanical trades required to build these complex systems. Considering that BSL-3 labs require advanced HVAC systems and controls, alternative type structures had previously been unfeasible. However, modern technological advances have allowed for the development of BSL-3 mobile and modular laboratories.

Modular BSL-3 Labs:  Specialized modular structures can be engineered and manufactured with the proper primary and secondary containment systems for a BSL-3 facility. This technology can be a flexible solution for added lab capacity and for certain regions where standard construction is not feasible.  ISO shipping containers may also be utilized as the core structure of the BSL-3 laboratory for easy deployment and installation of the lab in remote regions.

Mobile BSL-3 Labs: Advancements in HVAC and secondary containment systems have allowed for BSL-3 laboratories to be built within truck and trailer platforms. These sophisticated biocontainment units offer the maximum flexibility of deployment and are now used for public health and biosecurity applications.

For more information please see our sections on modular BSL-3 laboratories and mobile labs.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists or  ASHP is a 35,000-member national professional association  that works on behalf of pharmacists who practice in hospitals and health systems. The organization represents pharmacists who practice in hospitals, health maintenance organizations, long-term care facilities, home care, and other components of health care systems.

This national organization of hospital and health-system pharmacists works on a variety of fronts ranging from advocacy to continuing education. The groups primary activities include:

Advocacy - ASHP advocates to help open new doors for pharmacists to use their extensive clinical knowledge to care for their patients. We regularly reach out to the Joint Commission and other Quality Organizations, Congress, Federal Regulators, State government, and other healthcare organizations.   Career Services - ASHP's CareerPharm.com provides pharmacy job seekers and employers a place to connect online with quality job postings and career advice. CareerPharm is also the only pharmacy job site that gives you access to the industry's largest recruiting event PPS at the ASHP Midyear.

Continuing Education - ASHP is one of the largest accredited providers of Continuing Education for pharmacists. We also provide Continuing Education on medication therapy and medication safety for physicians and other health-care professionals.

Drug Information - For 50 years, ASHP has provided an evidence-based foundation for safe and effective drug therapy through its AHFS suite of drug information products (AHFS DI, AHFS Essentials, and AHFS MedMaster Consumer Medication Information).   \

Meetings and Conferences - ASHP hosts a number of meetings, conferences, and specialty courses each year to provide health-system pharmacy practitioners with venues for updating their knowledge, networking with colleagues, enhancing their skills, and learning about the latest products and technologies.

Professional Policies and Practice Standards - ASHP develops official professional policies, in the form of policy positions and guidance documents, in order to establish best practices and provide guidance to ASHP members and other audiences impacted by health-system pharmacy practice.

Publishing - ASHP publishes the world's premier pharmacy journal, American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, as well as a wide variety of clinical and management references, textbooks, online products, and video training programs.

Residency and Technician Training Accreditation - ASHP is committed to assisting existing residencies refine their programs, helping prospective programs with the process of seeking accreditation, and making it as easy as possible for prospective residents to find the best residency program for them.

For more information visit the website of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

The American Biological Safety Association or ABSA was founded in 1984 and since that time has served  to "promote biosafety as a scientific discipline and serve the growing needs of biosafety professionals throughout the world." The organization also plays a critical role in the time exchange of biosafety information.

According to ABSA, the organization accomplises these goals by "publishing and distributing a quarterly journal, Applied Biosafety and a number of other biosafety publications. ABSA also conducts an annual Biological Safety Conference to keep members informed of current biosafety issues and regulatory initiatives. The conference is preceded by a selection of biosafety courses geared at the beginner and advanced levels. In addition, ABSA produces an annual membership directory to stimulate networking."

Additionally ABSA offers registration and certification programs: Registered Biosafety Professional and Certified Biological Safety Professional. Certification includes a biological safety exam developed by ABSA and administered by the National Registry of Certified Microbiologists (NRCM).

The American Biological Safety Association is committed to its members in four broad areas:

"Developing and maintaining professional standards for the field of biological safety; Advancing biological safety as a scientific discipline through education and research; Providing members sustained opportunities for biosafety communication, education and participation in the development of biological safety standards, guidelines and regulations; Expanding biosafety awareness and promoting the development of work practices, equipment and facilities to reduce the potential for occupational illness and adverse environmental impact from infectious agents or biologically-derived materials."

Please visit the website of The American Biological Safety Association for more information.

The purpose of the American Glovebox Society or AGS is to advance the science of glovebox and containment technology.

According to the organization: "AGS is a non-profit organization formed in Denver, Colorado, in 1986 to promote safety and quality of glovebox systems; promote communication; disseminate knowledge in the field of glovebox technology through symposia, publications and other media; and recommend standards and guidelines for glovebox technology to existing national and international associations, and promote adoption of such approved standards to reduce costs, both fabrication and operational. The definition of a 'glovebox' as used by the Society includes enclosures, barriers, and isolators.

The art of glovebox technology is advanced through the AGS by dissemination of information. The Society accomplishes this in a variety of ways, including organizing an annual technical conference and equipment exhibition; publishing a quarterly newsletter, The Enclosure; and generating guidelines."

"The AGS provides a means to expand glovebox technology into new fields, as well as refine use in existing fields, by providing a forum where the experience and knowledge of users, designers and fabricators in industries such as nuclear, biomedical, semiconductor, chemical, and pharmaceutical can be shared.

AGS members are from many professions, with a wide diversity of containment needs. Predominantly we are represented by the nuclear industry, largely the Department of Energy (DOE) facilities. In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has become interested in containment, and refers to gloveboxes as isolators or barriers. The biological industry also uses gloveboxes, but often refers to them as biological safety cabinets. Another industry that has recently become interested in gloveboxes is the microelectronics industry, as a means to reduce costs of business by migrating away from cleanrooms. Research projects in many industries often require the use of glovebox containment. Glovebox type containment is used to protect the worker and/or environment from the material, protect the material from the environment, or in some cases, both."

Further information about AGS is available on
the American Glovebox Society website.

The Ventilated Workstation (VWS)

A Low Cost, Sustainable Alternative to the Class II BSC for AFB Smear Microscopy

Presented by Joe Masella at the Asia-Pacific Biosafety Association Annual Conference, Bali, Indonesia, 26th & 27th April, 2012

The presentation covered a range of issues relating to conducting sputum smear examinations in areas that do not have access to conventional biological safety cabinets. Discussion topics included:

 Direct AFB Smear Microscopy
•Good microbiological techniques: reduction of aerosol formation
•Good ventilation, directional air-flow
•Some countries forbid (by law) to perform AFB smear on an open working bench

Challenges with Open Bench Ventilation
•Air flow   •Direction   •Temperature   •Environment

Solutions
In addition to good laboratory practices
•Design laboratories to address ventilation and climate issues
•Buy BSC for smear microscopy: Expensive, requires periodic certifications, HEPA filter maintenance, otherwise “false sense of security”
•Alternate cabinet which is suitable for smear preparation

Outcome
1. Design a simple workstation cabinet to perform smear microscopy, minimal maintenance, no HEPA filter, and develop a guidance document with performance specifications to fabricate “Fan Box” under local conditions.
2. Specification document could be a mix of European Standards, ASHRAE guidelines. WHO, ABSA, and CLSI should be involved in the writing of this guidance document.
3. General consensus to invite manufacturer of bio-safety cabinets and fume hoods in subsequent discussions.
4. A final consensus meeting of experts to discuss the nomenclature of “the box”, global standards, general safety practices, prototypes, and validation.

An expert consultation meeting was held at the CDC, September 15-16, 2009, attended by subject matter experts from CDC, WHO, FIND, APHL, Health Canada, CUH2A, NHLS South Africa, GERMFREE, and NSF.  Recommendations were formulated for the Ventilated Workstation (VWS).

Summary
•VWS design is validated to provide safe work environment.
•VWS provides designated, uniform, and safe work environment for the manipulation of sputum specimens.
•VWS when constructed according to the design requires minimum validation and maintenance.
•VWS is least expensive.

Current Status
•Demonstrated the prototype at the Union conference (Donated to projects in Lusaka and Livingston, Zambia).
•Three VWS sent to Mozambique for pilot testing.
•The design document has received clearance from CDC, APHL, The Union, and GLI

For further information about Germfree's Ventilated Workstation (VWS) please visit this page.

The 2012 Conference will cover these topics: Capital Projects, Operations, Maintenance, Security, Safety and Cost Control for:
BSL-2/3 • ABSL-2/3 • BSL-3Ag facilities.

According to the event organizers: "Biocontainment programs are now facing a staggeringly complex menu of decisions about meeting pressure control requirements,  establishing facility SOPs and operating cost benchmarks,meeting regulatory requirements and certification guidelines and improving design and construction standards."

"This conference reveals the new decisions required for unfailing biocontainment programs. Here you’ll get the new data, numbers, and experience that are now guiding critical decision-making for biocontainment facility planning, construction, and operations from leading international biological research centers, the CDC, U.S. Regional Biocontainment Labs, and leading academic and private sector research facilities."

The event also includes preconference courses:  Fundamentals of Planning and Design of Biocontainment Labs and MEP Systems; Fundamentals of Risk Assessment for High Containment Lab Planning and Operations.

Futher information is available here.

Germfree manufactures mobile laboratories in a variety of platforms. These include vans, trucks, trailers, containers and air-transportable labs and offer up to BSL-3 containment. Learn more about Germfree’s line of Modular Laboratories.

Germfree manufactures Modular Laboratories to provide turn-key containment structures that can be installed anywhere. These advanced units offer containment up to BSL-3. Learn more about Germfree’s line of Modular Laboratories.

Germfree manufactures a wide range Class III Biological Safety Cabinets. These containment systems are utilized in research and production applications. They also are a key component in BSL-4 facilities. Learn more about Germfree’s line of Class III Biological Safety Cabinets.