Housekeeping and Entry

Work surfaces must be cleaned and decontaminated with a suitable disinfectant at the end of the day and after any spill of potentially dangerous material. Loose or cracked work surfaces must be replaced or repaired.

All technical procedures must be performed in a manner that minimizes the creation of aerosols.

All contaminated or infectious liquid or solid materials must be decontaminated before disposal or reuse. Contaminated materials that are to be autoclaved or incinerated at a site away from the laboratory must first have the outside of the container disinfected chemically or be double-bagged.

Decisions on entry into containment Level 1 and 2 laboratories should be at the discretion of the laboratory director/principal investigator (e.g. only persons who have been advised of the potential hazards and meet any specific entry requirements such as immunization should be allowed to enter the laboratory area).

Children under the age of 16 years old should not be permitted in the laboratory or support areas. Pregnant women or immuno-compromised people who work in or enter the laboratory should be advised of the associated risks.