About Biological Safety at Georgia Tech
Biosafety is an essential element of any institution that engages in biological laboratory work. The fundamental purpose of any biosafety program is to ensure "containment" of biological materials. The Georgia Tech Biosafety Team aims to ensure containment by assessing biological hazards and then mitigating that risk to laboratory personnel and to the overall community.
If you have questions about biosafety in your lab, please email biosafety@ehs.gatech.edu. Many common questions about biosafety at Georgia Tech can be answered in our FAQs.
Biosafety Manual
This manual describes basic principles of biosafety that are applicable to biological laboratory work at Georgia Tech. It contains general information on biohazards and biosafety levels, the risk assessment process and it outlines processes and procedures for conduction biological activities as well as details emergency response actions. It is reviewed annually by the Office of Biosafety to ensure that the information is accurate and timely.
- Have all lab members read the manual.
- Print and complete pages 5 and 6 and place in lab binder.
- Ensure that a copy of the manual is available in the lab (printed or electronic).
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| gt_biosafety_manual.secure.pdf (536.97 KB) | 536.97 KB |
Biological Safety Personnel
Kristy Jennings, MS
Biosafety Officer
Cell: 404-388-5084
Monni Begum
Associate Biosafety Officer
Cell: 470-428-5152
Other Resources
Equipment
The Office of Biosafety arranges for the annual certification of biosafety cabinets and laminar flow hood/clean benches. We also manage the preventative maintenance contract for shared use campus autoclaves and associated boilers.
Protocol Approval
All biological research requires approval on research protocols depending on the nature of the research.
Inspections
EHS plans inspections based on the building the lab resides. When EHS visits your building, you will be notified at least 2 weeks prior to prepare for the inspection.
Shipping Hazardous Materials
Shipping hazardous materials is regulated by various entities.To ensure that those regulations are adhered to, EHS ships these items for you.
Manual
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| GT Institute Biosafety Manual (536.97 KB) |
Procedures
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| Floor Cleaning Preparation (59.79 KB) | |
| Lab Cleared for Entry (86.62 KB) | |
| Lab Move Checklist (37.42 KB) | Consolidated list of items to do when moving labs |
| Laboratory Inspection Cheat Sheet (951.69 KB) | Laboratory Inspection Cheat Sheet |
| Laboratory Self-Inspection Form (78.96 KB) | Laboratory Self-Inspection Form |
| LS-001 Annual Eyewash Inspection (888.63 KB) | |
| Procedures for Laboratory Moves, Decommissioning, and Commissioning (299.79 KB) | This document describes the responsibilities of groups, as well as steps involved in moving labs. |
| Shipping Request Form (82.5 KB) | Required for chemical and/or biological shipments to provide EHS with the details of what's being shipped. |
Risk Assessment
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| Biological Risk Assessment (1.44 MB) | Form for PIs to complete a biological risk assessment. |
Postings
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| Autoclave Standard Operating Procedure Poster (763.87 KB) | Autoclave Standard Operating Procedure Poster |
| Biosafety Biological Spill Response (346.03 KB) | Laboratory poster for biohazardous spill cleanup instructions |
| Biosafety Cabinet Out of Service Poster (58.45 KB) | Biosafety Cabinet Out of Service Poster |
| Biosafety Cabinet Use Poster (254.82 KB) | Biosafety Cabinet Use Poster |
| No Gloves on Doorknobs (186.69 KB) | Visual reminder not to touch doorknobs with gloves |
| Packing Biomedical Waste Poster (349.33 KB) | Packing Biomedical Waste Poster |
| Sharps Safety Poster (2.2 MB) | Sharps Safety Poster |
| Stop Wash Call (85.86 KB) | Visual reminder of the exposure response procedure |