Texas Tech University is actively committed to preserving the health and safety of its students, staff, and faculty and to protecting the environment and surrounding community.  It is recognized that use of certain potentially hazardous materials is necessary in many university research and teaching applications.  Work with microorganisms, recombinant/synthetic DNA/RNA, as well as, human and animal materials requires special practices and procedures (and in some cases special equipment) to protect personnel, the environment, and the materials from contamination.  

The Department of Environmental Health & Safety provides guidance regarding the assessment, containment, and security of biological materials that complement the institutional operating policies which support compliance with the guidelines, recommendations, and regulations applicable to work biological materials.

To facilitate the culture of safety at Texas Tech University in addition to compliance with certain funding agencies, biosafety training is required for all individuals prior to beginning work with particular materials, and biennially thereafter.

Resources & Links

TTU Laboratory Safety Manual

CDC - Publications & Forms (includes the BMBL)

NIH-OSP Division of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Emerging Biotechnology

Pathogen Safety Data Sheets

American Biological Safety Association - ABSA International

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard

Texas Department of State Health Services - Bloodborne Pathogens

How to Work in a Biosafety Cabinet - instructional video

Safely doffing gloves - Beaking Method

Safely doffing gloves - common method summary

 

 

BioSafety Topics

The links below provide specific information about the BioSafety & BioSecurity Program at Texas Tech.

Animal Materials

Arthropods & Vectors

Biological Risk Assessment

BioSafety & BioSecurity Home Page

BioSafety FAQs

BioSafety PI Responsibilities

BioSecurity

BioWaste Management

Decontamination

Emergency Response

Human & Non-Human Primate Materials

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

IBC Protocol Registration

Microorganisms

Occupational Health Program (OHP)

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Transporting Biological Materials

Working Safely with Biological Materials