Chapter 6: Laboratory Training

Training is a critical component of any integrated biological safety program. Training is intended to provide the understanding, technical knowledge, and tools that the trainee can use to improve his or her daily laboratory safety practices.

At a minimum, all personnel working with biological materials must have training in the following areas prior to the start of their experiments:

• Knowledge of this biosafety manual;
• Knowledge of hazards of the agent or sample being used;
• Experimental procedures to be performed;
• Safe use of laboratory equipment;
• Proper use of personal protective equipment;
• Procedures to follow in the event of an exposure incident;
• Decontamination and spill clean-up procedures;
• Safe handling methods for any infectious agent and/or recombinant DNA (rDNA) they might be handling;
• Proper methods for transporting infectious agents and other biohazardous materials;
• Proper waste handling, storage and disposal;
• Procedures to follow and reporting after an injury;
• Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (if they work with human blood or blood products, unfixed tissue, body fluids, organ, or primary tissue and/or samples contaminated with bloodborne pathogens);
• BPHC requirements (see Appendix O for a summary); and
• Other specialized training as deemed appropriate by the IBC or the BSO.

The PI is responsible for ensuring that his or her employees receive proper training in the biohazards and controls specific to his or her laboratory and the safe conduct of the experimental procedures to be used. The Biosafety Program provides different types of training associated with the BU biological, chemical, and radiological safety programs. Each of these has its own driver and emphasis.

The ROHP is available as a resource to the IBC, PI’s and the BSO to complement required training in the areas of biosafety and specific agents.

Biosafety Training

All research laboratory workers (e.g., faculty, staff, students, and visiting scientists) must complete the “Laboratory Safety Training”. New employees, faculty, and staff must complete this training program before beginning any laboratory work. Attendance at new employee orientation does not fulfill this requirement. The training includes, but is not limited to, laboratory safety practices, biosafety, chemical safety, bloodborne pathogens, and hazardous waste operations.

It is the responsibility of the PI, supervisor, or laboratory manager to administer, document, and track training of laboratory personnel in the unique hazards, equipment, and procedures for a given laboratory. This training is mandated and must be provided by the PI or laboratory manager on a periodic basis to all laboratory personnel. Documentation of the training is required and must include, at minimum, the date and duration of training, name and position of the trainer, topics covered, and names of the trainees.

Additional training may be required by law or BU policy, and in some cases, completion of such training must be documented with the BSO or EHS.

Laboratory Safety Training

Laboratory Safety Training satisfies the basic competency and regulatory requirements for those working in labs and must be completed annually. This training requirement must be fulfilled before engaging in any laboratory activities and on an annual basis thereafter. The Laboratory Safety Training requirement can be fulfilled by attending a two-hourninety minute in person session “Classroom Laboratory Safety TrainingClassroom Laboratory Safety Training” or completing an online “Laboratory Safety Training”.Laboratory Safety Training”. The online training requires the completion of the Universal LabLaboratory Safety ModuleTraining module and additional modules as applicable toassigned by job activities by the researcher’s Principal Investigator based on expected laboratory work being conducted (i.e.,procedures. Those modules are Biosafety Training Level 1 & 2, Chemical Safety Training and Bloodborne Pathogens module). Safety training. All the training is available on BioRAFT through Kerberos login.

Please note that this training does not satisfy the need for department-specific training, shipment of infectious agents, select agents, Biosafety Level 3 or 4 work, or other specialized training.

Training and knowledge of the NIH Guidelines and IBC policies

All PIs listed on an active IBC protocol and all individuals listed on an active IBC protocol involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids are required to complete the online “IBC Policy / Recombinant DNA TrainingIBC Policy / Recombinant DNA Training” and Quiz before engaging in any protocol activities and at the time of three-year renewal before continuing to engage in the protocol activities. This is a requirement for all PIs and individuals listed on an active IBC protocol regardless of whether or not they currently work with recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids.

Mandated Specific Training

Mandated specific training may also be required by law or BU policy. In some cases, it is administered and tracked by the BSO or EHS, who must maintain the training records. Examples of mandated specific training include, but are not limited to: non-human primate users training; agent specific trainings;, or other specific training required by the IBC or BPHC. Individuals working in laboratories classified as BSL3 and above, or who are potentially exposed to specific zoonotic diseases, must also undergo training.

HIV/HBV Laboratory Training

Personnel who work in research laboratories that culture, produce, or otherwise perform microbiological manipulation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) must receive additional training beyond the standard bloodborne pathogen training. Prior to working with HIV or HBV, laboratory workers must demonstrate proficiency in standard microbiological techniques, and in the practices and techniques specific to the laboratory. Additionally, workers must have prior experience in handling human pathogens before working with HIV or HBV.

Personnel who do not have experience with human pathogens must be trained in the laboratory before working with HIV or HBV. Initial training must not include the use of infectious agents; rather, training and work activities should be progressive as proper techniques are demonstrated. Workers are permitted to handle infectious agents only after demonstrating proficiency to the laboratory supervisor’s satisfaction. Although this specialized, laboratory-specific training is the PI or laboratory manager’s responsibility, the training should be coordinated with the BSO to ensure proper documentation and recordkeeping.

Packaging and Shipping of Infectious Agents Training

Personnel who package and ship infectious agents and diagnostic specimens such as microorganisms, blood samples, and clinical samples for pathological testing are required by federal and international regulations to receive training every two years. EHS offers this training monthly, online and upon request. The training is valid for 2 years and must be retaken prior to the expiry date for persons responsible for shipping of these materials.

Training dates and locations can be found by Sign Up in BioRAFT under Classroom Shipping Biological training. Online training is also available in BioRAFT as Shipping Biologicals.

Biosafety Level 3 and Level 4 Training

Specialized BSL3/4 training is required for individuals who work in a BSL3/4 containment lab or in the ABSL3/4 biocontainment facility (see Appendix E, BSL3 Biosafety Manuals and BSL4 Biosafety Manual). This training must be completed annually. Contact the BSO for more information.

The “BSL 3/4 Annual Training” can be found in the list of “Available Training” at the BioRAFT Research Management Platform.

Select Agents Training

Personnel authorized to use select agents are required to receive training. This training is designed to meet the specific requirements of 42 C.F.R. Part 73, 7 C.F.R. Part 331, and 9 C.F.R. Part 121 requirements and must be completed prior to any individual starting work with select agents; all individuals must also complete the training annually to continue working with select agents. EHS and the lab will maintain copies of the training records for reference. Contact the BSO for more information.

Agent-Specific Training

Personnel authorized by the IBC to work with specific agents designated as biological agents with an increased potential to cause Laboratory Acquired Infection (“LAI”) are also required to receive agent specific training (see Appendix G for a List of Biological Agents with an increased Potential to Cause LAI that are in use at Boston University). ROHP is available to assist PIs with this training requirement.

In addition, personnel working with select agents must complete the applicable “Agent-Specific Training” for the select agent that they work with in the lab (e.g., Francisella tularensis, Yersinia pestis, Ebola virus, etc.) and Shipping Biologicals Training. Agent Information Sheets (AIS) and Agent Specific Identification Cards must be made available to individuals using biological agents with the potential to cause Laboratory Acquired Infection (“LAI”).

Laboratory-Specific Training

Individual laboratories are required to develop specific training for the particular agents and procedures that personnel will perform in that laboratory. This training should be specific to the hazards in the laboratory and to each person’s laboratory duties. Each person in the laboratory must understand the hazards associated with the agent and laboratory operations, how to prevent exposures to biological and chemical agents (see Chemical Hygiene Plan), and be trained on the laboratory standard operating procedures. Laboratory-specific training should not duplicate the general biosafety training, but instead should supplement it.

Laboratory safety training records are maintained by BioRAFT for the courses offered on the system. If lab specific training needs to be documented use the Miscellaneous Training Roster on the Documents tab of the lab home page in BioRAFT and upload the training record with name, date and training objective. Ongoing training is required as new hazards and procedures are introduced into the laboratory.

Other Safety Training

Personnel who utilize other materials such as radioisotopes, controlled substances, or x-ray generating devices must complete additional laboratory safety trainings. These trainings can be found in the course directory in BioRAFT under Training.

Non-user Training

Individuals employed in high and maximum containment facilities (e.g., BSL3 and BSL4) but are not working with biological materials (e.g., administrative staff, facilities, security, etc.) are also required to complete the mandatory training programs. The scope and content of these training programs will be developed based on the needs of each facility. Contact the BSO for more information.

Refresher Training

All laboratory workers and certain categories of building occupants will be subject to periodic mandatory refresher training. The scope and details of these refresher trainings is based on the risk of the agent and procedures performed and will range from annually to every three years based on regulatory requirements such as Bloodborne Pathogen Standard or Select Agents Rule. All laboratory personnel must also complete the annual Laboratory Safety Training.