Biological Safety Manual - University of Florida

Animal Science slaughter facility may be returned there for disposal if not contaminated with infectious,potentially infectious, or recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid material.No animal carcasses or tissue pieces shall be disposed of as regular trash or through thebiomedical/biological waste box. Animal carcasses and other animal material that may contain infectiousanimal or human pathogens require containment (red bags, sealed containers labeled with the biohazardsymbol) before moving to Animal Care Services or the Veterinary Medicine disposal facilities.Disposal of Biological ToxinsBecause they can be extremely hazardous, even in minute quantities, biological toxins require strictsafeguards against their inhalation, absorption through skin or mucous membranes (typically due to asplash), ingestion, or percutaneous injury. Information on the safe use of biological toxins can be found atSafety and Health Considerations For Conducting Work With Biological Toxins and Regulation of SelectAgents and toxins, and appendix I of the BMBL. The UF Toxin SOP template, the University of VirginiaBiotoxin Inactivation Table and Table 9 in this manual also provide general guidelines. Specific inactivation and disposal requirements are in place for acute biological toxins. Sometoxins are quite resistant to conventional methods of inactivation. These agents cannot be simplyplaced in the biomedical waste or picked up by EH&S Hazardous Waste Services. Each labworking with acute toxins must complete the Acute Toxin SOP which will detailinactivation/disposal requirements for the specific toxin being handled.All liquid waste from toxins must be inactivated and collected by EH&S for disposal as hazardouswaste. Contact the EH&S Hazardous Materials Management Office (352) 392-8400 for toxinwaste pickup.Autoclave Testing and UseThe rules governing the use and testing of autoclaves are based on Chapter 64E-16.007 of the FloridaAdministrative Code. Autoclaves shall be tested before being placed into service and then periodically foreffectiveness: Every 40 hours of use (required for autoclaves that are used to inactivate human or non-humanprimate blood, tissues, clinical samples, or human pathogens.) Every 6 months (required for autoclaves that are used to inactivate other material.)A commercially available test indicator kit that uses bacterial spores (Geobacillus stearothermophilus) isthe approved method of testing autoclave efficiency. Most spore vial test kits require 56 0 to 60 0 Cincubation of the autoclaved test vial along with a non-autoclaved control vial. Incubation causessurviving spores to grow. Please read the product information sheet for appropriate storage information.Spore vials should not be frozen. Each batch of vials has an expiration date; vials should not be usedafter the expiration date.New autoclavesBefore placing an autoclave into service, a test load approximating the weight and density of the type ofwaste generated shall be autoclaved with test spore vials. The spore vials should be placed at thebottom, top, front, rear, and center of the autoclave chamber. This can be achieved by either:Placing vials at those positions within one large test loadAssembling several smaller test packs with 1 vial at the center of each and placing the packs atthose locations within the chamber.The appropriate parameters for sterilization including temperature, pressure, and treatment time shall bedetermined in this way.Autoclaves In-UseFor periodic testing, place a spore vial in the very center of a test load prior to autoclaving.Record KeepingThe following records regarding autoclave use must be maintained: Maintenance records45