title: Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an (A)BSL-4 Laboratory: 2. General Practices.
abstract: Work in a biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) containment laboratory requires time and great attention to detail. The same work that is done in a BSL-2 laboratory with non-high-consequence pathogens will take significantly longer in a BSL-4 setting. This increased time requirement is due to a multitude of factors that are aimed at protecting the researcher from laboratory-acquired infections, the work environment from potential contamination and the local community from possible release of high-consequence pathogens. Inside the laboratory, movement is restricted due to air hoses attached to the mandatory full-body safety suits. In addition, disinfection of every item that is removed from Class II biosafety cabinets (BSCs) is required. Laboratory specialists must be trained in the practices of the BSL-4 laboratory and must show high proficiency in the skills they are performing. The focus of this article is to outline proper procedures and techniques to ensure laboratory biosafety and experimental accuracy using a standard viral plaque assay as an example procedure. In particular, proper techniques to work safely in a BSL-4 environment when performing an experiment will be visually emphasized. These techniques include: setting up a Class II BSC for experiments, proper cleaning of the Class II BSC when finished working, waste management and safe disposal of waste generated inside a BSL-4 laboratory, and the removal of inactivated samples from inside a BSL-4 laboratory to the BSL-2 laboratory.
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Mazur
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Michael R
authors: MR
authors: Holbrook
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Tracey
authors: T
authors: Burdette
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Joselyn
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Jason
authors: J
authors: Barr
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Pusl
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Bollinger
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Coe
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Peter B
authors: PB
authors: Jahrling
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Matthew G
authors: MG
authors: Lackemeyer
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Jiro
authors: J
authors: Wada
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH); kuhnjens@mail.nih.gov.
authors: Jens H
authors: JH
authors: Kuhn
authors: Integrated Research Facility at Frederick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
authors: Krisztina
authors: K
authors: Janosko
mesh_terms: D003264:Containment of Biohazards; D058006:General Practice; D007753:Laboratories; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D012449:Safety; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay
chemical_list: D017744:Medical Waste Disposal