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  • Bio-Safety Training

    • Bio-Security Plan

    Purpose

    The University of Waterloo Bio-security plan has been developed to prevent the theft, misuse or intentional release of pathogens. A Bio-security plan is a requirement of the Human Pathogens Act and outlined in the Laboratory BioSafety Guidelines published by the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

    The Bio-security Plan specifies security requirements for all research and teaching laboratories working with bio-hazardous materials under the control of the University of Waterloo.

    Scope of Bio-security Plan

    The University of Waterloo Bio-security Plan encompasses Containment Level 2 laboratories.

    Designation of a Responsible Official

    The University of Waterloo BioSafety Officer is designated as the Responsible Official   (RO).  The RO is responsible for the development, training and implementation of safety, security and emergency response plans relating to bio-hazardous materials.

    The RO is contacted as soon as possible in the event of any theft, loss or release of bio-hazardous materials.

    Bio-security Risk Assessment

    The control of bio-hazardous materials at the University of Waterloo is maintained by a Permit system. Permit applications are reviewed and approved by the BioSafety Committee prior to work with bio-hazardous materials.

    Considerations including weaponization risk, consequence of release and level of threat are used by the BioSafety Committee when assessing the bio-security risk of a bio-hazardous material.

    The BioSafety Committee determines bio-security requirements based on the results of the risk assessment.

    Physical Protection

    To insure bio-hazardous materials are not accessible to the general public, laboratories using Risk Group 2 material must observe the following minimum security precautions:

    1. Keep doors locked when laboratory is unoccupied.
    2. Access to laboratory is to be restricted to authorized workers/students.
    3. University of Waterloo Police Services conduct regular patrols and upon discovery of unauthorised entry or tampering, will notify the laboratory supervisor and the institutional BioSafety Officer 
    4. All bio-hazardous material is secured at the end of the day.

    Personnel Suitability & Reliability

    Access to all research laboratories is restricted to lab occupants (to be determined by the laboratory supervisor), maintenance staff, and escorted visitors.
    BioSafety and bio-security training is mandatory for all students and staff working in labs that contain bio-hazardous materials. Hazardous materials awareness training is required for all maintenance staff accessing labs on campus. Visitors may enter a lab only if they are given permission by the laboratory supervisor and are escorted by a trained lab occupant.

    Biohazard Accountability

    Inventories for Risk Level 2 organisms at the University of Waterloo must be current and available for review by the BioSafety Officer, BioSafety Committee or other inspection agency.
    Bio-hazardous material is to be clearly labelled.
    Transfers and acquisitions of Risk Group 2 material is to be approved by the institutional BioSafety Officer.

    Incident and Emergency Response


    Loss, theft, accidental release, unauthorized access or suspected tampering is to be immediately reported to:

    1. University of Waterloo Police
    2. Institutional BioSafety Officer
    3. Laboratory Supervisor

    University of Waterloo’s Policy 60 provides a framework for responding to major emergencies.