OSHA, association join together to address biological safety hazards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration released fact sheets that address various biological safety issues for laboratory employees.

The Select Agent Diseases lists symptoms, transmission methods, and treatments for common bacteria and viruses that could pose a major threat to public health and safety. These threats include anthrax and bubonic plague. The Zoonotic Diseases fact sheet references diseases commonly found in animals but transmittable to humans. It provides symptoms, incubation periods, and treatments for bacteria such as salmonella.

The fact sheets were developed by the American Biological Safety Association under a renewed alliance with OSHA.

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"We are pleased to continue our alliance with ABSA as we develop relevant information for those working in the biological sciences field," said Donald G. Shalhoub, deputy assistant secretary of labor for OSHA.

To develop information on the recognition and prevention of biological safety hazards, members of the ABSA provide technical input for OSHA's safety and health topics Web pages on issues such as avian flu, mold and fungi, and smallpox. In addition, the ABSA has assisted in updating OSHA's hospital eTool and reviewed modules on bloodborne pathogens, laboratory, and health care hazards.

May 7, 2009

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