Share thisThe need for Animal Biosafety Level (ABSL) 3 and 4 facilities has been identified as a high priority by research institutions nationwide. The critical nature of research performed within these ABSL facilities is emphasized by the level of work performed and the risk of exposure.
Currently there is an enormous need for research involving select agents, defined as pathogens or biological toxins which have been declared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to have the “potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety.” The need for a skilled staff, training, the development of standard operating procedures, specialized equipment, and security is paramount to a successful program. This article provides an outline for designing an effective strategy for these operations, as well as insight into planning and execution.
Staffing
An ABSL3 facility requires extensive oversight and leaves little room for error. So how do you staff accordingly, especially when you are opening up a newly constructed facility?
It is important not to cut corners on the staffing plan. Keep in mind the detailed procedures that will need to be followed, the working conditions, and the need for an error free work environment. It is essential to hire individuals who have prior and current ABSL3 experience. Having an experienced staff will prove to be beneficial for training inexperienced staff. When interviewing candidates who do not have ABSL3 experience, it is important to determine if they have adequate skill sets to be trained. This can be accomplished by providing a reading comprehension exercise at the interview. It is critical that all staff members can comprehend signage and understand the “why” behind the standard operating procedures when working in an ABSL3 environment.
If your program has an existing ABSL3 suite, identify some of those individuals to transfer to the new facility. An experienced care staff is valuable and needs to be rewarded accordingly. This can be accomplished by structuring levels of animal caretakers, such as Animal Caretaker II (ACII) and Animal Caretaker III (ACIII). This provides a mechanism to promote an individual who has the quality caretaking skills necessary to meet the performance standards of an ABSL3 suite.
Use less than the industry average performance standards for determining the necessary personnel to handle the husbandry and technical work load. This will ensure there is time allotted for the additional personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements and ABSL3 daily environmental duties – but most important, it allows for the exacting attention to detail required to minimize workplace accidents and deviation from standard operating procedures. An Occupational Health Surveillance (OHS) program must be developed, as all employees will need to meet the occupational health requirements for the ABSL3 facility. The specific surveillance requirements are determined by the agents utilized within the suite.