Newsletter Issue 01 June 2013 - absanz

offers the possibility of various options to achieve these
outcomes.
In essence the premise of SSBA agent protection is
twofold:
One: Keep the SSBAs secure (including all
documentation relating to the products), know
who has accessed them (samples and
documentation) and when
Two: Provide levels of active and passive protection
built into the facilities to ensure unauthorized
access is either eliminated or delayed sufficiently
for law enforcement agencies to attend.
The second item represents the biggest challenge,
because designers and facility owners must consider
many factors, including:
• prevention of coerced tailgating (preventing
registered staff being forced under duress to
access areas),
• prevention of multiple entry under one access
control (intentional or unintentional internal
tailgating)
• access protection – including securing ceiling
spaces, securing mechanical ducts that are large
enough to crawl through, securing windows and
walls that would ordinarily not represent a
challenge to unauthorized malicious access.
What if I am a diagnostic laboratory? Unless you know
that you will be routinely encountering known SSBAs
there is generally no expectation that the facility needs to
comply with the requirements of the National Health
Security Act. However you must have procedures in
place such that if a sample is found to be SSBA positive
you know how you are going to handle it from that point
forward. The laboratory must notify DoHA and either
destroy, ship to an appropriate registered laboratory or
become a registered laboratory.
The first item can be addressed relatively simply using
conventional tracking devices such as registers, logs,
electronic access control (ingress and egress), and
security cameras.
It is important that all laboratory plans are discussed with
the authorities in the planning phases to ensure any
requirements can be met should the need arise.
Current standards, templates, guidelines and check sheets
are available at the DoHA SSBA website.
(www.health.gov.au/SSBA)
The ABSANZ Professional Development Standing Committee (PDSC) has
been busy in 2013
Joanna Gray
Joanna.gray@rcpaqap.com.au
The committee is working to establish the training biosafety requirements of current and future Australian and New
Zealand members whilst keeping a keen interest in the activities of international organisations such as the
International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA).
To date the Committee has:
• reviewed 2012 Conference Feedback
• produced a Charter to establish the direction of the committee
• developed a Training Model
• conducted an assessment of training synergies and opportunities, in particular the IFBA group who are
working on training competencies and examination schedules, reviewed the content with plans to adopt a
Principles and Practices document that outlines potential module offerings
• agreed to assess who will receive the Neil Walls Consulting Scholarship in 2013
• commenced preparations for the ABSANZ Conference in Auckland, 2013
We will continue to provide ABSANZ members with PDSC updates in ongoing Newsletters.
“Strengthening biosafety linkages and collaborations between Australia & New Zealand”