Safety

Safety Standards for Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories

By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

RAYMOND T. ODIERNO
General, United States Army
Chief of Staff

Official:

JOYCE E. MORROW
Administrative Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army

History. This publication is a rapid action revision (RAR). This RAR is effective 8 February 2013. The portions affected by this RAR are listed in the summary of change.

Summary. This pamphlet prescribes the technical safety requirements for the use, handling, transportation, transfer, storage, and disposal of infectious agents and toxins rated at biosafety level 2 and above used in microbiological activities in permanent or temporary clinical laboratories, biomedical and biological research settings, microbiology teaching laboratories, and veterinary reference laboratories. This pamphlet requires the mandatory use of the latest edition of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health’s Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories.

Applicability. The requirements stated in this pamphlet and the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories apply to all U.S. Army activities and facilities in which infectious agents and toxins are used, produced, stored, handled, transported, transferred or disposed, to include the Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve, and to contractors and consultants conducting microbiological and biomedical activities for the Army.

Proponent and exception authority. The proponent of this pamphlet is the Director of the Army Staff. The proponent has the authority to approve exceptions or waivers to this regulation that are consistent with controlling law and regulations. The proponent may delegate this approval authority, in writing, to a division chief within the proponent agency or its direct reporting unit or field operating agency, in the grade of colonel or the civilian equivalent. Activities may request a waiver to this regulation by providing justification that includes a full analysis of the expected benefits and must include formal review by the activity’s senior legal officer. All waiver requests will be endorsed by the commander or senior leader of the requesting activity and forwarded through their higher headquarters to the policy proponent. Refer to AR 25–30 for specific guidance.

Suggested improvements. Users are invited to send comments and suggested improvements on DA FormDA FormDepartment of the Army form 2028 (Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) directly to the Office of the Army Safety Office (DACS-SF), Chief of Staff, 200 Army Pentagon, Washington DC 20310-0200.

Distribution. This publication is available in electronic media only and is intended for command level D for the Active Army, the Army National Guard/ Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve.

*This regulation supersedes DA PamDA PamDepartment of the Army Pamphlets 385–69, dated 31 December 1993.

The checklist that follows is not an exhaustive list of the items to consider when inspecting facilities where IAT are used. It does provide some basic guidelines to remind safety and nonsafety professionals of the specific requirements for biological laboratories.