Contact
Forms
- IBC Form
- IBC Amendment form
- Toxin Destruction form
- rDNA Transgenic Animals Registration form
- Sharps Injury Report Form
- Significant Exposure Reporting Packet
- Hepatitis B Vaccination Declination and Consent Form
- Employee Occupational Exposure Procedure Card
Manuals and Policies
- Biosafety Manual
- Exposure Control Plan
- Institutional Biosafety Committee Guidelines/Policy
- NIH Guidelines
Resources
- American Biological Safety Association Resources and Tools
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Federal Select Agent Program Regulations
- EPA Registered HIV Antimicrobial Products
- EPA Registered Tuberculocidal Disinfectants
- Federal Select Agent Program Regulations
- NIH Guidelines
- USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Biological safety
Biological safety is the scientific discipline devoted to the protection of individuals, agriculture, and the environment from potentially harmful microorganisms and other biological agents. Biosafety is accomplished through the use of risk assessment and the application of work practices, protective equipment, and exposure control.
NAU biological safety programs have been developed to protect staff, students, faculty, and visitors from potentially hazardous biological materials; to assist with compliance with regulations, standards, and guidelines pertaining to biological research; and to promote good microbiological work practices. Information about our biosafety programs are listed below, along with helpful documents.
- Biosafety Manual
- BSL2 Lab Specific Biosafety Manual Template
- Biosafety Inspection Checklist
- Toxin Destruction form
Institutional biosafety committee (IBC)
NAU is responsible for ensuring that all research taking place in university laboratories involving hazardous biological materials, regardless of funding source, is conducted in a safe manner and is compliant with regulatory guidelines and policies. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to seek IBC approval, using the NAU IBC Form, for the safe handling, transport, use, and disposal of hazardous biological materials within their laboratory spaces and maintain IBC approval during the time period these materials are used and/or stored. Modifications to protocols must also be approved by the IBC.
The NAU IBC is a faculty-led committee of experts in biosafety-related fields established to oversee research involving recombinant DNA and other biohazards. The IBC is responsible for the oversight of all research activities involving recombinant and synthetic DNA and biohazardous material, as required and outlined in the NIH rDNA Guidelines and CDC’s Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL). Research involving recombinant DNA and biological materials must be reviewed and approved by the IBC prior to the initiation of research. For more information, please read the IBC manual posted below.
- Institutional Biosafety Committee Guidelines: Policy
- IBC Amendment form
- rDNA Transgenic Animals Registration form
- Responsible Conduct of Research Training
Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) Resources Accordion Closed
DURC is life sciences research that, based on current understanding, can be reasonably anticipated to provide knowledge, information, products, or technologies that could be directly misused to pose a significant threat with broad consequences to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the environment, or national security. The United States Government’s oversight of DURC is aimed at preserving the benefits of life science research while minimizing the risk of misuse of the knowledge, information, products, or technologies provided by such research. Visit the links below for more information.
- The National Institutes of Health Dual Use Research of Concern
- United States Government Policy for Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern
- Training on the US Government Policy for Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern
- FAQs of the US Government Policy for Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern
- DURC Policies and Tools
Bloodborne pathogens, Sharps safety, & Occupational exposures Accordion Closed
- Significant Exposure Reporting Packet
- Needlestick Safety and Prevention Program
- Employee Occupational Exposure Procedure Card
- Sharps Injury Report Form
All NAU employees who may have occupational exposure to human blood, unfixed human tissues, human cell/tissue cultures, certain other body fluids or bloodborne pathogens must receive OSHA Required Bloodborne Pathogens Training before they initiate assignments with any of these materials.
Training Accordion Closed
Biosafety
Required for personnel working with recombinant DNA, infectious materials, and any other research-related projects that involve Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) containment practices. Training is tailored to meet the needs of individual groups, so please contact the Biosafety Office to schedule biosafety training.
Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP)
Required prior to the start of work for personnel working with specimens such as human blood, human body fluids/tissues, and potentially infectious human cell lines (including primary cell culture and cell lines known or likely to by infected with HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C). This training applies for personnel when there is a potential occupational exposure or contact to blood, blood products, or other potentially infectious materials. Training is tailored to meet the needs of individual groups, so please contact the Biosafety Office to schedule biosafety training. Initial BBP training must be taken in person. The annually required refresher training may be completed in person, or online:
NIH guidelines
Required prior to the start of work for personnel working with recombinant DNA and synthetic nucleic acid molecules.
Responsible conduct of research
Required prior to the start of work for personnel listed on an IBC protocol.