Biosecurity
It has long been recognized that specific biological agents pose a threat to individuals and the population at large (i.e, cholera, influenza, small pox...). Although in general epidemics and pandemics occur without malicious intent, it is equally recognized that the use of specific agents have also been used for political and personal gain. (This is not a new phenomenon, with the first case of biological warfare being recorded in 1349 during the siege of Kaffa (Yersinia pestis). The current political environment and the interrelationship between global travel, national economies, and environmental implications has once again lead to an increased sensitivity with regards to the use of biological agents.
The security element has been a long standing requirement of Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Not only in terms of general laboratory controls, but also as a specific requirement associated with individual importation permits.
The basic premise of security, is access control. In order to prevent
access to stock material, the appropriate controls must be in place at
the laboratory level, as well as in the departments and faculties. Implementing
security measures can be as basic as questioning strangers in the hallways
to establishing an integrated monitoring system.
Means of access control are:
| a) physical barriers | - structural design to increase the level of security to reflect
the transition from general public to laboratory zones |
| b) psychological barriers | - obvious presence of identifiable security personnel - obvious presence of security culture - use of cameras, mirrors, mirrored domes (90o,180o, 360o) and other monitoring tools |
| c) monitoring activities | - patrols of facilities by security personnel - support staff monitoring of departments (secretariat staff located at entrance of departments to monitor access, all staff questioning strangers) - key control programs |
| d) personnel clearance | - identifying and restricting access to only authorized personnel |
Other security control is gained by minimizing and tracking inventory of biological agents in the lab.
Link to: World Health Organization (WHO)-Laboratory Biosecurity Guidance