risk management
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of Investigators, the Biosafety Officer and the contractor performing biosafety cabinet certifications and repairs are listed below. All parties must honor their responsibilities for the efficient function of the MUSC Biosafety Cabinet Service Program.
Investigators
Register biosafety cabinets, clean benches and cage changing stations with the Biosafety Officer by providing the following information about their equipment: Location (building and room number), contact person (name, email and phone number), manufacturer, model, serial number, date of last certification.
Ensure biosafety cabinets are certified at initial installation, annually thereafter and when moved or repaired.
Contact the Biosafety Officer to schedule certifications.
Select appropriate biosafety cabinet for desired use (Contact the Biosafety Officer for assistance).
Install the biosafety cabinet in appropriate location (Contact the Biosafety Officer for assistance).
Notify the Biosafety Officer of need for repairs by providing the following: Location (building and room number), manufacturer, model, serial number and a description of the malfunction.
Provide prompt payment for services rendered.
The Biosafety Officer
The Biosafety Officer will administer the MUSC Biosafety Cabinet Service Program including scheduling and billing. The Biosafety Officer will also provide assistance to Investigators in selecting the appropriate containment for their desired experiments and selecting adequate locations for installation of biosafety cabinets.
Biosafety Cabinet Certifier
The contractor responsible for biosafety cabinet certifications will:
Certify biological safety cabinets, clean benches and cage changing stations in accordance with National Sanitation Foundation Standards 49 as well as all applicable industry standards and manufacturer specifications.
Perform the necessary maintenance and repairs to ensure biosafety cabinets, clean benches and cage changing stations meet certification standards including replacing HEPA filters, UV lights, blowers, etc.
Upon request will decontaminate grossly contaminated biosafety cabinets with chlorine dioxide gas.
Applicable Regulations and Guidelines
- NSF: National Sanitation Foundation Standard 49
- NIH: NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA
- CDC: Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, ed. 5
- CDC: Primary Containment for Biohazards: Selection, Installation and Use of Biological Safety Cabinets, ed. 3.
- OSHA: CFR 1910.1030(e)(2)
The MUSC Biosafety Cabinet Service Program