Biohazard sign and mask

Animal Biocontainment Safety

Biocontainment Safety Orientation

  • General requirements for biocontainment area access
  • Definition of animal biosafety levels
  • Review of animal biocontainment research sites
  • Orientation to the electronic DAR animal biocontainment safety manual
  • PPE, entry, exit, use, care and containment practices
  • Personal protective equipment
  • Entry and exit procedures
  • Animal handling practices
  • Waste management
  • Portable equipment decontamination
  • Biosafety cabinets
  • Signage
  • Noncompliance
  • On-site orientation requirements

Steps Required for Access to Animal Biocontainment Facilities

  1. Must have a biosafety protocol approved by the Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHSO).

    • Phone: 404.727.5688
    • NOTE: This may involve medical clearance.

  2. Must have an approved IACUC protocol.

    • Phone: 404.727.0734
    • NOTE: This may involve medical clearance.

  3. Personnel must be listed on both the biosafety and IACUC protocols.

    Steps 1 - 3 must be completed prior to Step 4.

  4. Attend DAR general biosafety training.

    For ABSL2 training registration occurs via ELMS.

    Go to elmprod9.emory.edu and enroll using course code 265040. For details on how to register, please see Investigator Training Opportunities home page.

    Registration for ABSL3 training is completed by contacting the DAR Training group.

    • Email: dartrn@emory.edu
    • Phone: 404.727.3098

    • If you will be working with both BSL 2 and BSL3 agents the training group can offer a combined class to satisfy the training requirements for both levels. Registration can be completed by contacting the DAR Training group.

  5. Contact the facility supervisor for the building in which your work will be conducted to arrange an on-site orientation to the biocontainment room. Contact information will be distributed at general orientation.

    Facility Supervisors:
    • Rollins: Rashidat Ayantunji; rayantu@emory.edu
    • WBRB: Daniel Amankwah;
    • Clinic B: Paul Jenkins;
    • Pediatrics: Marveia Daniel;
    • WMRB: Kitaw Shiferaw;
    • HSRB: Anne Griffey;

  6. All steps must be complete before biocontainment access is granted.

DAR Animal Biocontainment Husbandry
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Further Reading:
Full Version (PDF) of The Center for Disease Control's Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, 6th Edition (CDC, 2020)