Biological Safety Manual - University of Florida

The following resources should be reviewed for best practices and regulations for laboratories possessingrestricted agents. It should be noted that these regulations are not limited to the individual laboratoriespossessing restricted agents. Select Agent Requirements (42 C.F.R. Parts 72 and 73, 7 C.F.R. Part 331, 9 C.F.R. Part 121)addressing Select Agents and Toxins, Registered Entities, Restricted Access, Training and SOPs Army Regulations Regarding Biological Surety for DOD facilities, institutes receiving DODfurnished select agents or research funding involving select agents Biosecurity recommendations - BMBL 5th Ed. Section VI - Laboratory Biosecurity National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity The Select Agent Program Laboratory Security Guidance DocumentBackground ScreeningIn support of efforts to maintain and foster safety and security of students, faculty, and staff, the Universityof Florida requires pre-employment criminal background checks on new hires for TEAMS and Facultypositions. Federal or state statutes or contracts may require criminal background checks be conductedon certain positions within the University, despite the classification. Thus, unless stated otherwise, hiringauthorities may choose to complete pre-employment criminal background check on promotions, transfers,and hiring of temporary academic members and staff employees.All criminal background checks will be coordinated through Recruitment and Staffing, Human Resources.Determination of the type of criminal background checks to be conducted will be made by HumanResource Services in conjunction with the hiring department. For more detailed information regardingbackground checks and their costs or to request a background check, simply complete the Request forBackground Screening form and fax it to Recruitment and Staffing at (352) 846-0668. The availablebackground checks are:Alachua On-Line (AOL)Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)FBI LivescanFBI Manual435 Livescan435 ManualHireRightThe University of Florida will ensure that all background checks are held in compliance with federal andstate statutes, such as Fair Credit Reporting Act, when applicable.In addition, all staff that may be associated with work involving select agents will require a Security RiskAssessment (SRA). A security risk assessment is the method used by the Criminal Justice InformationService (CJIS) to evaluate an individual's suitability to access Select Agents. This risk assessment isintended to identify those individuals who are prohibited from access to Select Agents and based on therestrictions identified in the USA PATRIOT Act. Additionally, individuals that will work with Tier 1 selectagents (i.e. new hires, graduate students, etc.,) must clear the UF pre-access suitability assessment. Allindividuals with access to Tier 1 agents must enroll in the UF on-going suitability assessment program.The UF Select Agent Program Responsible Official coordinates all activities regarding applications forsecurity risk assessment with CJIS as well as the UF suitability assessments. For additional informationregarding access to select agents, suitability assessment clearance and program enrollment, and securityrisk assessments, please contact the Biosafety Office at (352) 392-1591.Dual Use ResearchThe National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB), a federal advisory group formed in 2004,is developing guidelines to advise federal agencies (e.g. NIH, HHS, etc.) on the identification, oversight,and possible regulation of “dual use” research. The NSABB charter was renewed in April 2012. Dual useresearch of concern (DURC) is that which, based on current understanding, can be reasonablyanticipated to provide knowledge, products, or technologies that could be directly misapplied by others topose a threat to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the environment or30