UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA

BIOSAFETY INSPECTION CHECKLIST

Principal Investigator: ______________________________________

Laboratory Representative(s) Present: ______________________________________
Laboratory Room No. ______________________________________
Risk Classification of Biological Agent: ______________________________________

Date of Inspection: ______________________________________

Inspected by: ______________________________________
Follow-up Required: Yes ____ No ____

Y N N/A COMMENTS

ACCESS CONTROL & HAZARD AWARENESS

1. Access to the laboratory is limited or

restricted.

2. Proper biohazard signs are posted. The

risk level is identified. Emergency
contact information is provided.

3. All persons have met specific entry

requirements (immunization) and been
advised of the potential hazards in the
laboratory.

4. Pregnant women or
immunocompromised individuals are
informed of the specific risks.

5. Children under the age of 16 years are

not permitted in the laboratory.

6. New employees/students are

thoroughly trained in good laboratory
practices and techniques.

7. Employees work practices are

continuously monitored to ensure they
are performing their job safely.

8. It is policy to take base-line

seroconversion values for new
employee, and/or medicals on a yearly
basis.

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 Y N N/A COMMENTS

9. Appropriate protective equipment

(gloves, lab coats, safety glasses,
closed toes and heel footwear) is
available to lab workers and to visitors.

10. A post-exposure prophylactic protocol

(PEP) is in place, i.e. needle sticks.

11. Material Safety Data Sheets are

available.

LABORATORY DESIGN

12. The laboratory is designed to permit

general cleaning and housekeeping
activities to be undertaken unhindered.
(It is clean, neat and organized.)

13. There is no evidence of crack surfaces

or need for general repair (leaking pipes,
tiles lifting).

14. Bench tops are impervious to liquids

and resistant to alkali, acids, organic
solvents and heat.

15. The surfaces of walls, floors and

ceilings are impervious to liquids and
readily cleanable.

16. Laboratory is sealed or sealable for

decontamination, including all
penetrations to floors, walls and
ceilings.

17. Floors are slip resistant, especially

around imbedding activities and
microtomes.

18. Drains are filled with disinfectant or are

frequently disinfected especially prior
to repair.

19. Windows are closed and sealed

(permanently or with a screen) in all
rooms.

20. All components of essential services

requiring maintenance or replacement
are located outside the facility (e.g.:
cylinders, circuit breakers) or easily
accessible.

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 Y N N/A COMMENTS

21. Hand washing facility is located near

each laboratory exit. (Foot or
automatically operated preferred.)

22. A mechanical exhaust ventilation

system is installed which provides
directional air flow through the
laboratory modules and animal quarters
from areas of lower contamination
potential to areas of higher
contamination potential.

23. Air flow is sufficient to exhaust vapors

of flammable liquids and dangerous
chemicals.

24. Fume hoods should not be the sole

means of exhaust. If so, contingency
plans are available if fume hood fails.
Regular maintenance program in place.

25. Dead air space is minimal.

26. Supply air is interlocked with exhaust air

system to prevent reversal of directional
air flow and equipped with an alarm
system.

27. HEPA filters are certified annually

(biological safety cabinets, exhaust
system) and are decontaminated
according to accepted standards.
Certification label present and date of
next certification noted.

28. Vacuum lines are equipped with HEPA

filters, traps are used, and flasks taped.

29. Appropriate storage areas are available

for lab coats, hazardous chemicals and
to prevent build up of clutter.

30. Alarmed equipment is identified and

emergency contact information is
affixed to the equipment. Contingency
plans are in place, e.g. -80oC freezers are
labeled and inventory of contents
available.

31. Office areas are located away from main

work area and near exit.

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 Y N N/A COMMENTS

32. Food and drinks for consumption are

being stored outside of the laboratory.
Where?

33. Emergency systems are in place: fire

alarm, eyewash station, shower, power,
and lightening.

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

34. Long hair is tied back or restrained

when working with infectious material.

35. Lab coats are worn/removed when

entering/leaving a laboratory area.
Coats are buttoned. Sleeves are tucked
into gloves when manipulating
infectious material.

36. Gloves are changed frequently when

working with infectious material, prior to
working with “clean” equipment
(microscopes) and after possible
contamination.

37. Hands are washed after removing

gloves, routinely throughout the day,
after possible exposure to infectious
material and prior to leaving the lab.

38. Received samples are inspected for

damage, opened in the biological safety
cabinet, surfaces decontaminated and
supporting documentation verified.

39. When manipulating infectious material,

the work surface is covered with a
disinfectant soaked towel.

40. All procedures with a high potential for

creating infectious aerosols or using
high concentrations of an infectious
agent are performed in biological safety
cabinets.

41. Before any work is initiated in a

biological safety cabinet, U.V. light
turned off , fluorescent light turned on,
inward directional airflow tested, the
surface disinfected and purged.
(Shutting down procedure.)

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 Y N N/A COMMENTS

42. Equipment inside a biological safety

cabinet is raised on stands to ensure
that the air flow is not blocked. Air
grilles are free from any obstruction.

43. All manipulations are performed at least

four inches inside a biological safety
cabinet. Rapid hand motion is restricted.

44. When rotating or moving equipment is

functioning in a biological safety
cabinet it is prohibited to perform any
other manipulations in the cabinet.

45. Mouth pipetting is never used or

approved.

46. Mechanical pipetting devices are used

for all pipetting procedures. Cotton
plugs or filters are used on the pipette
to prevent the pipettor from becoming
contaminated. All pipettes are “to
deliver”.

47. Used pipettes are submerged

horizontally in a suitable disinfecting
solution, inside the biological safety
cabinet.

48. Syringe needles are bent, sheared or

recapped prior to disposal. Recapping
occurs in order to reuse needles.

49. When transferring infectious material

from pipette to petri dish or bottle, the
liquid is released as close as possible to
the receptacle, or allowed to run down
the wall, never from a height.

50. Sharp containers are not filled beyond

the 2/3rd full position.

51. Where possible, capped leakproof

tubes and bottles are used when
working with and/or storing infectious
agents. The use of glass is minimized.

52. All infectious agents are transported in

unbreakable, leakproof containers
capable of being decontaminated.

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 Y N N/A COMMENTS

53. Magnetic stirring bars are added before

the liquid, instead of dropped in after
the liquid is measured into the
receptacle.

54. Inoculating loops cooled before they

are inserted into a liquid culture. Shanks
are short (6 cm) to prevent vibration.
Microincinerators or pre-sterilized loops
are used. Sterilizing using a flame is not
recommended

55. When withdrawing a needle from a

stoppered bottle, the needle and bottle
are wrapped with a disinfectant soaked
absorbent to minimize aerosols. Air
bubbles are expelled into such
absorbent.

56. Sonicating, mixing, grinding, and

blending utilize equipment with tight
fitting gasket lids and leak proof
bearings. Vortexing is used instead of
tipping to mix. Aerosols are permitted to
settle prior to opening.

57. Centrifuges are: properly service,

maintained, interlocked, and balanced.
Regularly checked for stress, damage
and decontaminated.

58. When working with cryogenic material

the appropriate personal protective
equipment is used: face shields, apron
(no pockets), loose fitting insulated
glove. The samples are introduced
slowly to prevent splatter. Containers
are not over filled.

59. Compressed gas cylinders are securely

stored away from exits, leak tested and
the correct gauges used.

60. Radioactive work is undertaken in

compliance with the Radiation Safety
Program and permit conditions. Note:
biohazards/radioactive waste present
unique disposal concerns and the RSO
must be consulted.

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61. Animal work is approved by the Animal

Care Committee. All individuals are
trained to minimize scrapes, bites,
needle sticks and other unique hazards.

62. Electrical hazards are identified and

addressed (CSA approved, frayed
wires, water hazards).

63. Appropriate waste containers are used

and supported to prevent tipping and
discharging of contents. Surfaces are
decontaminated or the waste double
bag to permit transfer for
decontamination.

64. Waste procedures are available.

65. Autoclave procedures are available.

Efficacy testing is undertaken regularly
and records maintained.

66. All specimens of unknown status are

autoclaved or incinerated.

67. All equipment exposed to infectious

agents is disinfected prior to repair.

68. Written protocols outlining

decontamination of work surfaces, spills
and wastes, are available and
implemented.

69. All spills and accidents which result in

exposures to infectious materials are
immediately reported, recorded and
investigated.

GENERAL COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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 BIOSAFETY INSPECTION
Principal Investigator:___________________ Date of Inspection: _________________

FOLLOW-UP ACTION REQUIRED ACTION COMMENTS

COMPLETED
ON (DATE)

As Principal Investigator I attest to having read this inspection report and undertaken all necessary action
required.

_____________________________________ __________________________
Principal Investigator’s Signature Date

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