Building a holistic and comprehensive biorisk management program requires extensive effort from laboratory staff, safety stakeholders, and organizational leadership. Biosafety Officers alone cannot develop, maintain, or continuously improve safety programs and require infrastructural support both within safety verticals as well as externally across divisions. It’s easy to lose sight of key objectives and results when faced with a mountain of operational issues and frustrated by a lack of resources. Where do you begin when standing up a new biosafety program or trying to mature an existing one? What are the pitfalls to avoid, how do you strategically engage laboratory staff and leadership?
This class will reinforce the fundamentals of biosafety program management with an emphasis on key program areas to either develop or improve. These include risk assessment and communication, competency-based training, safety metrics, basic program infrastructure, and how to use appreciative inquiry as a tool for continuous improvement.
AJ Troiano, PhD, RBP, Global Director, Biosafety & Toxicology, FujiFilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, Morrisville, NC
Danene Balint, MLS(ASCP), IFBA CP, Clinical Biosafety Specialist, Scorton Creek Biosafety, LLC
This course is designed to help take the guesswork out of decontamination, from start to finish, using knowledge and techniques for success against current and future pathogenic threats, including COVID-19. Join us for three segments of hands-on training on decontamination, including Surveillance Methods/Validations, Small and Large Enclosure Decontamination, and Decontamination Applications. Learn how to distinguish the difference between diverse types of validation methods to determine the safety of a space with regard to contamination. Thoroughly understand fogged chemical decontamination in order to select proper fact-based solutions centered on optimal efficacy and risk mitigation. Implement easy protocols for complete decontamination, and mitigate pathogen transmission to help protect facility health with solutions rooted in science. Developed by experts in the field of microbiology and environmental decontamination, this workshop will help participants overcome challenges facing effective facility decontamination by reviewing best practices used in published studies. This workshop is essential for all personnel responsible for planning, implementing or applying decontamination and disinfection protocols or technology.
Frances M. Grinstead, CEO, CURIS System
Meaghan Hislop, Senior Research Biologist, CURIS System
John Henneman, Gilbane, Senior MEP Manager
Elizabeth McQuade, Biocontainment Laboratory Coordinator, Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University
Emergency situations and disasters can happen at any time, Experience is the best teacher. Every company, every expert in the field of labor protection has many years of experience in solving difficult situations. All this allows them to imagine the range of dangerous situations that may arise and to develop complex scenarios for the actions of the company’s/community emergency response services.
We will simulate real-world situations and talk about strategies and tactics: what kind of services for internal response and decision-making mechanisms should exist within the organization, what measures need to be taken to ensure that no one is injured and how to evacuate victims
This program trains First Responders and Emergency Managers to handle various emergencies by developing Emergency Response Plan (ERP), understanding Emergency Procedure and executing Incident Command System (ICS) during disaster.
Lester Claravall, MHR, Safety Professional, State of Oklahoma
Kadiri Shamusideen. B.Sc. M.Ed., Principal Consultant, Zub Chord Technical Ventres, (OSH Consultants) Fellow, Institute of Risk and Safety Management of Nigeria
Novel and re-emerging pathogens are inevitable and will be a constant challenge for microbiologists and our world. It is extremely important that laboratorians can recognize and safely handle ancient pathogens, such as Yersinia pestis, as well as new pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, in order to prevent laboratory exposures and laboratory associated illnesses.
This workshop will cover the importance of preplanning and developing a Biosafety Plan that is quickly adaptable for use with whatever biohazardous agent emerges. We will begin with an overview of what constitutes an effective Biosafety Plan and discuss its key components. There will be an emphasis on the importance and value of performing biosafety risk assessments prior to determining and implementing any mitigation steps, or establishing training requirements and competency assessments for the staff.
Unfortunately, despite the best plans, sometimes laboratory accidents happen and exposures do occur. This course will also cover how to assess whether there has been an exposure and, if an exposure has occurred, what subsequent steps need to happen next. The importance of developing a strong occupational health program will also be highlighted.
Shoolah Escott, MS, MT(ASCP), Biosafety and Biosecurity Trainer
Michael Perry, Associate Director, Biodefense Laboratory, New York State Department of Health – Wadsworth Center
Erin Bowles, MT(ASCP), Laboratory Network Coordinator, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene
Michael Pentella, PhD, D(ABMM), Laboratory Director and Clinical Professor, State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa.
This session is eligible for P.A.C.E.® contact hours. Details on how to receive credit will be provided during the session.
Attendees will participate in a leader-guided discussion (preceded by didactic elements) on how to identify and mitigate infectious agents that may cross species boundaries, both from animals to humans and humans to animals. The course will emphasize the risks these infectious agents pose to not only human health; but, also to scientific research through their effects on the animals. Procedures and policies that prevent and mitigate the introduction of unwanted agents into the institutions will be addressed. Participants will develop policies and procedures for their parent institutions with guidance from subject matter experts. Additionally, there will be discussion of emergency preparedness and how to incorporate biosafety concerns into institutional disaster response plans.
Marie Brake, DVM, Laboratory Animal Resident, CDC
Jessica Levine, DVM, MS, Laboratory Animal Resident, CDC
Rachel Wier, DVM, Laboratory Animal Resident, CDC
Cassandra Tansey, DVM, DACLAM, Comparative Medicine Branch Deputy Chief, CDC
Catalina Forero, DVM, MS, Laboratory Animal Resident, CDC
Sarah Genzer, DVM, DACLAM, Senior Clinical Veterinarian, CDC
