Minimum Biosafety Level 2 Laboratory Requirements for COMS-Approved Projects

Biosafety Level 2 (BL2) builds upon Biosafety Level 1 (BL1). All requirements of BL1 are also required for BL2, with the addition of the following:

• Work Practices
  • The Principal Investigator (PI) limits access to the laboratory and has final responsibility for determining who may enter or work in the laboratory.
  • The PI must ensure that the laboratory members demonstrate proficiency in procedures performed.
  • A sign incorporating the universal biohazard symbol must be posted at all entrances to the laboratory.
  • All persons entering the laboratory must be advised of the potential hazards and meet established entry/exit requirements.
  • This COMS approval letter must be available and accessible to all working in the laboratory.
  • Laboratory equipment should be routinely decontaminated (in addition to after spills and at the completion of work). Equipment must be decontaminated before repair or maintenance.
  • Animals not associated with the work being performed are not permitted in the laboratory.
  • Infectious material used in procedures with a potential for creating aerosols or splashes, or used in high concentrations or large volumes, must be handled in an annually certified biosafety cabinet.
  • Laboratory doors must be self-closing and remain unblocked.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Laboratory coats or gowns must be worn while working in the laboratory
• References
  • NIH guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines).
  • Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, 5th ed.