EHRS

Updated EHRS Documents

The third edition of the University's Biological Safety Manual is now available. The manual provides updated university-wide guidelines for working safely with biologically hazardous materials such as infectious agents, or materials that may contain them, and recombinant DNA. It describes program responsibilities and the principles of biological safety in addition to providing information on biological agent classification, safe work practices, infectious waste management, permitting and transportation of biological materials.

EHRS also reviewed and updated the University's Exposure Control Plan as required by the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030. The Plan is designed to help eliminate or minimize employee exposure to human bloodborne pathogens. Principal investigators and/or laboratory supervisors who work with bloodborne pathogens, human blood, blood products and other potentially infectious materials defined in the Standard are reminded they must update their laboratory copy of the Plan annually or when procedural changes occur. The plan must be reviewed with staff and be available for reference in the laboratory. Additions to the plan include:

Both documents are available at the EHRS website, www.ehrs.upenn.edu/.

EHRS Training

The next live training program is: Introduction to Laboratory and Biological Safety at Penn, March 18, 9:15 a.m.-noon, BRB II/III Auditorium (Please arrive early; sign-in, 9-9:15 am. No admittance to course after 9:15 a.m. Penn ID or driver's license is required for sign-in. A Certificate of Completion will be granted at the end of the training session. Only those individuals who sign-in and receive the Certificate will be given credit for the course.)

This new combined training program provides a comprehensive overview of safe work practices in the biomedical laboratory and meets the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for employees who work with hazardous substances including chemicals, human blood, blood products, fluids and human tissue specimens. All faculty, staff and students at the University who work in a laboratory and have not previously attended a live training presentation must attend this training. 

The Office of Environmental Health & Radiation Safety (EHRS) develops and presents a variety of required training programs in live presentations or online formats. To determine which training programs you are required to take, review the section "Training Requirements" on the EHRS website www.ehrs.upenn.edu/training/index.html.