IFCC & EFLM

New EFLM webinar: the general principles of laboratory biosafety

By Dmitrii

Posted on November 17, 2021

EFLM E-LEARNING

a selection of interactive, web-based, educational resources designed by EFLM experts to improve your daily practice

Darko Cerne, Chair of the EFLM WG Distance Education and e-Learning,
informs on next scheduled webinar and reminds that
the free access to EFLM webinars is reserved to EFLM Academy Members
(in order with the annual fee 2021)

Click here to know more about the EFLM Academy.

EFLM WEBINAR

The general principles of laboratory biosafety

23 November 2021

at h. 18.00 CET (duration 1 h)

Speaker: Gijsbert van Willigen (NL)
Moderator: Dionysis Vourtsis (GR)

Cilck here to register

Biosafety is a working area where you want to protect laboratory workers from the potential pathogenic organism that they are working with and are contained in patient specimens. Biosecurity, however, described principles that prevent theft of materials from laboratories that can be used for terroristic attacks on the population and the economy. In the lecture we will only focus on biosecurity, because most laboratories only receive and work with materials up to biosafety level 2. Only for laboratories that work with highly dangerous pathogens biosecurity becomes an issue.
Biosafety is not something without obligation for an employer and for an employee. Biosafety is part of the regulatory framework on workers protection that is included in national and international frameworks. However, the awareness for biosafety among employees and workers in diagnostic and research laboratories working with materials up to BSL2 is a not very high.
During the lecture several standard procedures and equipment will be discussed from which the risks are not very obvious. Shown are potential risks of these procedures and equipment and how to mitigate risk. Included are mitigation measures using personal protective equipment (PPE), laboratory equipment etc. is included. The focus will be on the protection of the PPE, but also the “misuse” is included. In the lecture also a connection will be made between biosafety and other management systems, such as quality systems. Also the link between biosafety and biosecurity will be discussed.
Goal of the lecture is to show that biosafety is an issue within diagnostic and research laboratories where potential BSL2 material is handled and that a proper awareness of the worker and the employer is crucial for protecting the worker from acquiring infections from the materials that are handled.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Gijsbert van Willigen
Department of Health, Safety and the Environment, Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands

Gijsbert van Willigen is the biosrisk management professional of the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. After his study Biology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen (1987), he did his PhD at the Academic Hospital Utrecht in the field of thrombosis and hemostasis (1992). After several post-doc positions at the University Medical Center Utrecht and a sabbatical at the University of Helsinki (2000) he started as a biosafety Officer at the UMC Utrecht. In 2002 he switched to the Leiden University Medical Center and since then has a position as biosrisk management professional.
As a biosafety officer he has been admitted by the Dutch authorities for several containment levels up to (A)BSL3. His field of expertise include biosafety and biosecurity in laboratories and animal experiments in high containment facilities ((A)BLS3) and the use of genetically modified organism in a clinical setting (gene therapy). He has been involved the construction of several BSL3 facilities in the Netherlands and is now involved in the construction of a new GAPII/BSL3 facility at the National Institute of Public Health.
Between 2014-2018 he was member of the council of the European Biosafety Association; President of EBSA in 2016-2017. His present position within EBSA is chair of the Conference Program Working Group.

European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine

Egmontstraat 11, Brussels
Belgium

ACCLMU

New EFLM webinar: the general principles of laboratory biosafety

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

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