Biosafety Guidelines For Research On Genetically Modified ...

APPENDIX 10: REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT HOUSE BIOSAFETY LEVEL 2 (GP-
BSL2)
The following standard of plant house and operating procedures (GP-BSL2) is regarded
as a suitable minimum for genetic manipulation work with whole plants which falls under
Category B in Section 3. Most work with plants will be adequately contained in this
standard of plant house.
Plant house work which falls under Category A will require at least GP-BSL2 level of
containment, and additional operating procedures and/or a higher standard of
construction may be recommended.
Construction
1. The plant house shall have a floor of concrete, or some other substance approved
by IBC. Any openings in the walls or roof (e.g. windows, vents, and air supply and
exhaust inlets and outlets) shall be screened with fine screens (thirty –gauge 30/32
mesh wire gauze). The drainage exits shall be designed to avoid entry of
invertebrates, rodents and insects. Transparent sections of the plant house shall
be made of impact-resistant material selected to maintain the integrity of the
structure during all foreseeable impact events, including windstorm, and impacts
from golf balls, stones picked up by grass mowers, hailstones and the like. If
ordinary glass is used, a protective screen shall be fitted.
2. Entrances to the plant house shall be posted with a sign identifying the type of plant
house and listing the procedures applicable, including emergency and
maintenance procedures.
3. If the plant house is free-standing, it shall have an anteroom for entry and exit. The
anteroom shall be fitted with a sticky pest strip or automatic insecticide aerosol
device designed to kill arthropods which gain entry. An anteroom is not necessary
if the plant house connects directly with a certified small or large scale containment
facility.
4. A wash-basin shall be provided within the plant house adjacent to the entry door.
Effluent should be disinfected. Where a laboratory is directly connected to the
plant house, the basin may be in the laboratory.
Operating Procedures
5. The plant house shall be inspected regularly to ensure that its containment features
are intact. Screens, filters and the like shall be cleaned regularly (in accord with
manufacturer’s specifications when provided).
6. All doors to the plant house shall be locked for the duration of the work except for
those periods when personnel are actually working inside it.
7. Hands shall be washed with soap and water before leaving the plant house.
8. Only persons authorised by the IBC are to enter the plant house. All such persons
shall be trained to follow normal plant house routines as well as these operating
procedures.
Appendix - Page 21