Hazards of Biological Agents

Biological safety is a relative newcomer to the field of occupational safety. For many years, general occupational safety was a familiar 

Edward Sulkin and Robert Pike published the first comprehensive survey on laboratory-acquired infections in 1949 (446) and in 1951 they published the results of a survey of 5,000 

The occurrence of laboratory-acquired infections in research workers is not the only problem in biosafety. The other major concern is the potential for release of infectious agents that may cause secondary infections in nonlaboratory workers and other contacts. Fortunately, the potential for such serious outbreaks of laboratory-acquired disease seems to be small. Data derived from studies at the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Animal Disease Center showed that, during the years from 1960 to 1975, no instances of secondary infection in other laboratory workers or in nonlaboratory contacts occurred as the result of the laboratory-acquired infections of 18 research workers who used animal pathogens that were also infective for humans (448). However, the potential for outbreaks of laboratory-associated disease does exist as there are reports in the literature of instances of secondary transmission of laboratory-acquired Marburg disease (283), Q fever (38), and smallpox (105,518). Fortunately, the low level of occurrence of such incidents suggests that 

The agents that can produce infectious disease in plants and/or animals (including humans) are called etiological agents. For the rest of this discussion, we will not deal with those plant disease agents that pose no risk for human infection. 

A second type of biological hazard involves research with viruses which have the capability of inducing the formation of tumors or cancers in the host organism they may infect. These viruses, called oncogenic viruses, are not included in the class of etiological agents because they differ from the latter in the following ways  

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Biological Hazards and Biosafety Explains the hazards of biological agents, where and how they might be encountered, and some general approaches to prevent exposures. 

Rapid confirmatory analysis of chemical or radiological hazards and presumptive identification of biological agents ... 

C. Hazard Prediction. All attacks in daytime and all toxin attacks are presumed to have a period of 8 hours in which the agent cloud retains its effectiveness. For nighttime attacks, the cloud effectiveness may be longer, and should be calculated by NBCC. Further effects of time and weather conditions on the persistence of biological agents are discussed in FM 8-9, FM 3-3, Chap. 4, and FM 3-6, Appendix B, (Draft, 1997). 

Health and Safety Commission (1993). The control of biological agents proposals for amendments to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations 1988. HSE, Baynards House, London. 

Hazards from biological agents arise in a ntrmber of workplaces. Some were described earlier tmder Mechanisms of allergy and worlqrlace sotrrces of allergy . Table 8.9 outlines some of the possibilities. 

Effects of indoor air pollutants on humans are essentially the same as those described in Chapter 7. However, there can be some additional pollutant exposures in the indoor environment that are not common in the ambient setting. From the listing in Table 23-1, radon exposures indoors present a radiation hazard for the development of lung cancer. Environmental tobacco smoke has been found to cause lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. Biological agents such as molds and other toxins may be a more likely exposure hazard indoors than outside. 

Plant or processes or systems of work which minimize generation of, or suppress or contain, the hazardous dust, fume, biological agent etc. and limit the area of contamination in the event of spills and leaks. 

Cover the control of substances classified as very toxic, toxic, harmful, coiTosive, sensitizing or imtant under the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 1994 (as amended) and to substances which have MELs or OESs. Also other substances that have chronic or delayed effects and biological agents. Special provisions are included for carcinogens. 

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS (SUBSTANCES/WASTES) A hazardous material is any substance that causes or may cause adverse affects on the health or safety of employees, the general public, or the environment any biological agent and other disease-causing agent, or a waste or combination of wastes. 

Atmospheric Hazards. Examples are Uie presence of toxic airborne chemical substances and parUculate matter, biological agents, noise, vibration, radiation, extremes of temperature and humidity, and lack of illumination. 

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