Biosafety Frequently Asked Questions
For all BSL2 and higher work, BSCs must be certified annually. Please contact TSS at 1-800-877-7742 to certify your BSC. The lab will be charged by TSS for the certification.
Please contact TSS at 1-800-877-7742 to decontaminate the BSC. After decontamination, submit an EHS clearance request form.
Please contact your EHS Coordinator to obtain a biological spill kit.
Biosafety provides consultation on how to set up BSL2 and higher containment labs. Please contact biosafety@uci.edu.
UCI follows the containment requirements included in the CDC Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL, 5th edition) and NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules. Please check UCI Biosafety Manual for additional information.
Established human cells lines fall under Cal/OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) standard. Other examples are: human blood, tissues and organs, non-human primate cell lines, Lentivirus, Hepatitis B virus. As per the standard annual BBP training (via UCLC) and annual review of BBP-ECP is required.
Adenovirus is an aerosol transmissible pathogen under Cal/OSHA Aerosol Transmissible Disease (ATD) standard. Other examples are Herpes Simplex Virus, Influenza virus, Streptococcus spp. (Group A), SARS-Coronavirus. As per the standard annual ATD training (via UCLC) and annual review of ATD-ECP is required.
Please visit the EHS SOP Library to obtain an SOP template.
Please submit an IBC application. Once an IBC application is submitted, Biosafety will carry out a prereview of the application and provide guidance on the containment levels.
Bunsen burners are not allowed inside the BSC. IBC’s position on Bunsen burners. Contact biosafety@uci.edu to obtain a on-demand burner.
Please see the IBC’s guidance on the safe handling of human cell lines.
Please follow this guidance document. You can obtain the filter by contacting us at biosafety@uci.edu.