Biological Safety

Understanding Biosafety

This training session presents the basic concepts of biosafety, focusing primarily on planning safe experiments - risk assessment, determining containment, waste disposal and emergency preparedness. It is an appropriate course for faculty and staff working with biohazards and/or recombinant DNA. Anyone taking the training should have:

1. a basic understanding of biology, and
2. taken the prerequisite session General Laboratory Safety.

This online training session should take approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete.

For more information, or to find out if training is required for your position, contact the Biological Safety Section, (217) 333-2755, or via e-mail.

Register: Online Training  

Safe Handling of Human Cell Lines/Materials in a Research Laboratory

Annual training (repeated every 12 months) is required for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign laboratory researchers and their staff who work with human cell lines and other human-origin materials. The training session is a requirement of the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard adopted by the Illinois Department of Labor.

Each session includes: information about the regulations; explanation of bloodborne diseases and how they are transmitted; procedures and equipment that prevent exposure; hazards and precautions for human cell culture work; Biosafety Level 2 requirements; and information about medical follow-up if exposure occurs. Program length is 50 minutes. For more information, or to find out if training is required for your position, contact the Biological Safety Section, (217) 333-2755, or via e-mail. Anyone taking the training should have:

1. taken the prerequisite session Understanding Biosafety, AND
2. taken the prerequisite session General Laboratory Safety.

DRS offers an online training session designed as annual "refresher" for employees who have previously attended a live training session. Online training should not be used as the employee's initial training for Safe Handling of Human Cell Lines/Materials in a Research Laboratory.

Register: Live Training 

Register: Online Training (refresher) * 

Transportation of Infectious Substances, Category B

This training provides instruction on how to properly ship infectious substances that qualify as Category B material with or without dry ice in accordance with the requirements of the US Department of Transportation (DOT) at 49 CFR 173.199, 172.700 and IATA 1.5 Dangerous Goods Regulations. This training covers how to; classify biological materials, select proper shipping names, select approved packaging materials, mark and label packages, and complete all required documentation.

According to the DOT & IATA regulations, the shipper must be certified to ship Infectious Substances. To become certified to ship infectious substances as Category B, you must;

1. Complete the prerequisite session Awareness Training for the Transport of Hazardous Materials.
2. Complete this session (Transportation of Infectious Substances, Category B)
3. Notify BSS by via e-mail that you have completed the required trainings. In the body of the email, indicate the following information:
   
   
   • Principal Investigator (PI)
   • Valid IBC registration title(s) & approval date(s)
   • Anticipated Category B material(s) to ship over two year period
   • Anticipated shipping destination(s) over two year period

BSS will review and verify your records. Once verified, BSS will send you an Authorized Certificate to ship Category B Infectious Substances. You cannot ship Category B materials until you receive an authorize certificate from BSS. Keep this certificate for your records.

An Authorized Certificate to ship Category B material is valid for 2 years.

Register: Online Training 

Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens (for non-laboratory personnel only)

Annual training (repeated every 12 months) is required for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign workers with reasonably anticipated exposure to human blood and other potentially infectious materials as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Please note: Laboratory personnel working with human-origin material should NOT take this session.

DRS offers an online training session designed as annual "refresher" for employees who have previously attended a training seminar. Online training should not be used as the employee's initial training for Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens.

Training Seminars are offered by your unit. For initial training, employees should attend a training seminar. Unit trainers have been trained by DRS.

Online Training Sessions should take 30 to 60 minutes to complete and includes the following information: applicable regulations and compliance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; explanation of bloodborne diseases and how they are transmitted; procedures and equipment that prevent exposure; and information about medical follow-up if exposure occurs. For more information, or to find out if training is required for your position, contact the Biological Safety Section, (217) 333-2755, or via email.

Register: Online Training * 

Unit Trainers: Log-In to record session