Potentially hazardous, genetically engineered organisms, viruses and subviral agents must be handled in
accordance with employers´ liability insurance association guideline G 43 entitled "Biotechnology".
Instructions for administering first aid in the event of accidents involving pathogenic microorganisms and
viruses must be immediately to hand in the working area. The person in charge must be notified of all
accidents immediately.
Depending on hazard potential, it may be necessary to take further safety precautions:
Use of class I, class II (type-approved)** or class III safety workbenches (air flow pointing away from
experimenter).
Restricting and supervising access to specific areas.
Use of special protective garments and breathing apparatus.
Disinfection of all materials containing pathogenes before they leave the worktop.
Maintaining a partial vacuum in the working area.
Reducing the germ count in the exhaust air by taking appropriate measures, such as using high-
performance suspended-matter filters.
Handling of human- and animal-pathogenic biological agents
The following general rules also apply to the handling of human- and animal-pathogenic biological
agents:
Human-pathogenic biological agents may only be handled with approval under the terms of the Federal
Epidemics Act.
Approval under the terms of the Federal Animal Epidemics Act and the Ordinance concerning Agents of
Animal Epidemics is required to handle agents of animal epidemics.
Pregnant women or nursing mothers are not permitted to handle infectious and human-pathogenic
biological agents or materials containing these agents.
* Apply to cell cultures as appropriate
**Manufacturers´ certificates can be found in the memoranda of the Berufsgenossenschaft Chemie (employer´s liability
insurance association for chemicals) entitled "Sichere Chemiearbeit" (Safe chemistry) and the Berufsgenossenschaft für
Gesundheitsdienst and Wohlfahrtspflege (employer´s liability insurance association for health service and welfare).
They can also be obtained on request from the test centre of the expert committee on "Health care and welfare"
(Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und Wohlfahrtspflege, Prüfstelle des Fachauschusses "Gesundheits-
dienst und Wohlfahrtspflege, Pappelallee 35-37, 22089 Hamburg, Germany).
Source: specification B003, edition 1/92 - ZH 1/343 of the Berufsgenossenshaft der chemischen Industrie (employer´s liability insurance as-
sociation for the chemicals industry), Jedermann Verlag, Dr. Otto Pfeffer OHG, PO box 103140, 69021 Heidelberg
BASIC RULES OF SOUND MICROBIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING PRACTICE *
44/43
50 079 041
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