Biosafety And Biosecurity, Security And Security?

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Biosafety and biosecurity are related terms but are different in terms of operational definition. Biosafety programs aims to eliminate or at least exposure of individuals and the community to potentially harmful biological agents. Biosafety on the other hand is attained by implementing varying levels of laboratory control and containment using laboratory design and access restrictions, personnel competency-building and training, use of containment equipment, and safe methods of managing infectious materials in a laboratory environment. The common understanding of biosafety originated from the practical guidance issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) on techniques for use in laboratories. WHO considers biosafety as "the containment Department of State, the perception of people on biosecurity threat has evolved as they “see the world in terms of a multipolar, multi-threat environment”. It further stated that “biorisk and matrices to measure the weighted value of each risk have become the norm, and biosecurity and biosafety have come to encompass the use of proper safety measures and facility specifications, as well as the proper training of employees to ensure not only their own safety but that of the public at large.” Biosafety and biosecurity programs share common components because both are based on risk assessment and management methodology; personnel expertise and responsibility; control and accountability for research materials including microorganisms and culture stocks; access control elements; material transfer documentation; training; emergency planning; and program management. Biosafety and biosecurity program risk assessments should be done to determine the required levels of controls that must be implemented. Biosafety assess if appropriate laboratory procedures and practices are in place to prevent laboratory-acquired infections from biological materials, while biosecurity determine if biological materials and data remain secure from malicious misuse or The biosafety program ensures the competency of the laboratory staff in safely performing their job through training and documentation of technical expertise. The laboratory staff must manifest professional responsibility for management of research materials complying with appropriate materials management procedures. A hallmark of biosafety practices requires laboratory access to be limited to essential personnel only when work with biological agents is in progress. Biosecurity practices on the other hand ensure that access to the laboratory facility and biological materials are limited and controlled. An inventory system must also be in place so as to control and track biological stocks or other potentially hazardous biological agents in both biosafety and biosecurity programs. For biosafety, the transfer and shipping of infectious biological materials must comply with safe packaging, containment and appropriate transport procedures, while biosecurity ensures that transfers are controlled, tracked and documented relative to the potential risks of the materials being transferred. Both programs must involve the laboratory staff in the development of practices and procedures that fulfills the requirements of biosafety and biosecurity initiatives without hindering research or clinical/diagnostic activities. The success of both of these programs is anchored on a laboratory culture

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