Past events & courses

This two day course will introduce participants to the basics of working safely in a BSL3 laboratory. The course content was adapted from the BSL3 biosafety course of the Swiss Biosafety Curriculum. Participants will perform risk assessments, learn more about BSL3 design and engineering, get introduced to BSL3 specific PPE and use it, cover aspects of waste management and room fumigation, exercise using safety equipment under BSL3 conditions and go through different emergency scenarios amongst other things. The focus of the course lies clearly on practical exercises which limits the number of people who may attend to 8. This is a very intense course that will ask a lot from participants.

From minor lab mishaps to large accidents, biosafety professionals have a pivotal role in minimizing unwanted effects of biological agents when normal biosafety or biosecurity operational controls fail. The course introduces participants to emergency management and its key components (preparedness, response, contingency, crisis management, recovery and investigation). Assessment of credible emergency scenarios and integration of bio-risks in emergency plans should enable an organization to prepare (actors, infrastructure & equipment, procedures, business continuity and communication) for a reasonable response proportionate to the scale and nature of the emergency. Effective testing, communication and training approaches, including emergency exercises and simulations, will be discussed.

This two day practical course provides a comprehensive and sound practical introduction to auditing. The course takes participants through the principles, recognized best practices and essential techniques of (HSE / biosafety) auditing. It provides them with guidance on planning and performing of an audit in line with international standards. The course will combine elements previously covered in the one day EBSA pre-conference courses "Biosafety audits and inspections - a basic course" and "Auditing - beyond the basics". Newly introduced feature will include the opportunity for delegates to take part in a "mock audit" of a laboratory facility.

HEC management school* 14 Rue Louvrex BE-4000 Liège The workshop is only open to BBP members.

Poldervlietweg 5 Haven 550 2030 ANTWERPEN 3 Participation is free. Registration deadline: 18 February 2013

EBSA15 Conference - Manchester

Recent breaches of biosafety and biosecurity have emphasised that systematic management failure is normally the root cause of accidents and incidents with biological agents and toxins. Adopting the CWA 15793 can help organisations manage these risks.

This 1-day course builds on the basic auditing workshop which has been delivered in connection with previous EBSA conferences although prior participation in that course is not essential. Participants will be assigned to groups which will be provided with a scenario from which they will be asked to elaborate pre-audit questionnaires, prepare introductory and closing sessions and draft a management summary of an audit report.

This one day course will give understanding of different aspects of decontamination. An interactive workshop combining theory and practical examples covering decon methods for micro-organisms of all risk groups, with particular focus on level 3, suitable for laboratory managers and biosafety officers in charge of microbiological labs or animal houses.