Laboratory work with biological agents must be carried out under certain biosafety conditions to avoid or reduce as much as possible the dispersion of biological material and exposure to it, and thus protect the research personnel working, the rest of the workers in the building, the general public and the environment.
Depending on the assessment of the biological risk resulting from the analysis of the intrinsic risk of the biological agent involved (virulence, routes of transmission, ease of contagion, availability of treatment, etc.), the laboratory activities to be carried out (work procedures, concentration of infectious material, volume, possibility of dispersion or generation of aerosols, use of sharp or cutting material, etc.), and the training, qualification and health status of the research staff, four levels of biosafety are established in the laboratories that define the basic containment elements.
Biological containment levels and biosafety level designations are based on a combination of the design features, construction, containment means, equipment, practices and operating procedures required to work with pathogens from the different risk groups.
Each biosafety level is based on the previous level, so that requirements and demands are added, understanding level 1 as the most basic and level 4 as the highest in relation to containment and biosafety:
| Risk group | Biosafety level | Type of laboratory | Laboratory practices | Safety equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic Level 1 | Teaching and basic research | Basic microbiological practices | Not required; work at the laboratory table is allowed |
| 2 | Basic Level 2 | Diagnosis and research | Appropriate microbiological practices, protective clothing/equipment and biohazard signal | CSB (biological safety cabinet) for possible aerosols |
| 3 | Containtment Level 3 | Special diagnosis and research | Level 2 practices plus special clothing, controlled access and directional air flow | CSB plus other primary containment means for all activities |
| 4 | Maximum containment Level 4 | Perilous pathogens units | Level 3 practices plus hermetically sealed entry chamber, exit with shower and special waste disposal | CSB class III, pressurised suits with CSB class II, double door autoclave, filtered air |
The University of Barcelona does not have containment level facilities above biosafety level 2. Therefore, type 3 and 4 activities cannot be carried out at the UB due to the lack of adequate facilities.
Index:
- Biosafety laboratory level 1 (NCB 1)
- Biosafety laboratory level 2 (NCB 2)
- Biosafety laboratory level 3 (NCB 3)
- Biosafety laboratory level 4 (NCB 4)
- Related information
Biosafety laboratory level 1 (NCB 1)
This level of containment is appropriate for the handling of biological agents that are known not to cause harm under normal conditions to healthy humans and pose a minimal potential risk to laboratory personnel and the environment.
It is a basic laboratory, with sturdy furniture that is easy to clean and disinfect, but with no special design features.
Further information:
Biosafety laboratory level 2 (NCB 2)
This level is appropriate for the handling of biological agents of moderate risk that can cause human illnesses
of varying severity, with little likelihood of spreading in the community and for which
effective prophylaxis and treatment is generally available (group 2).
This level of containment is applicable to research, clinical or diagnostic laboratories.
Further information:
Biosafety laboratory level 3 (NCB 3)
Biosafety level 3 laboratory (NCB 3) This level is suitable for handling biological agents that can be transmitted by aerosols, which often have a low infectious dose and can produce very serious or fatal diseases (group 3), as well as large volumes or concentrations of biological agents of group 2, because they entail a higher risk of aerosol diffusion.
This level of containment is applicable to special diagnostic and research laboratories.
Further information:
Biosafety laboratory level 4 (NCB 4)
This is the maximum confinement level. This level is suitable for the handling of agents that are transmitted by little known mechanisms or by air, that cause serious or fatal diseases and for which there is no effective prophylaxis or treatment.
This level of containment is applicable to highly hazardous or toxic pathogen units.
Further information:
Related information
- Apéndice 12. Laboratorios: requerimientos de los niveles de bioseguridad, of the technical guide of RD 664/1997.
- Manual de bioseguridad en el laboratorio; 3rd ed. WHO.
In this link you will find information so that you can verify if your laboratory or facility complies with current regulatory requirements regarding containment and biocontainment measures: Verification of laboratories at the UB.
In this link, you will find the structural requirements in biosafety defined by the laboratories of the UB: Structural requirements in the laboratories of the UB.