Biological Safety

The implementation of practices, procedures, or precautions designed to protect humans, animals, and the environment from exposure to potentially infectious agents or biohazards is known as "Biosafety". There are four levels of containment controls based on the infectivity, severity, and transmissibility of the microbe or agent, as well as the route(s) of exposure based on the nature of the work being conducted.

Biosafety Levels

The lowest level is biosafety level 1 (BSL-1), and the highest is biosafety level 4 (BSL-4). The majority of biology labs at CSUSM are BSL-1 with only a few BSL-2. Below are summaries of the required controls at those levels.

BSL-1
Microbes	Practices	Primary Barriers (Safety Equipment)	Secondary Barriers (Facilities)
Not known to cause disease in healthy adults (example: non-pathogenic strains of E. Coli)	Standard microbiological practices on an open bench or table	PPE (lab coat, gloves, eye protection) worn as needed	Sink required for hand washing

BSL-2
Microbes	Practices	Primary Barriers (Safety Equipment)	Secondary Barriers (Facilities)
Pose moderate hazards to humans and the environment (example: Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella)	BSL-1 practices in addition to: Limited access while work is conducted Extreme precautions handling conatminated sharps	Appropriate PPE, including lab coat and gloves Eye protection and face shilds as needed BSC for procedures which may produce aerosols or splashes Autoclave or an alternative method of decontamination for dispoal	BSL-1 facilities in addition to: Self-closing doors Emergency eyewash