What are the differences between biosafety level 1 and biosafety level 2 labs?

2 What are the criteria for BSL-1?

BSL-1 labs are designed for working with agents that are not known to cause disease in healthy humans or animals, or that present a very low risk of infection. Examples of BSL-1 agents include non-pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To meet BSL-1 criteria, the lab must be separated from the rest of the facility by a door that can be locked, have a sink for hand washing and a biohazard waste container, and have adequate ventilation and lighting. Lab personnel must wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as lab coats, gloves, and eye protection, and follow standard microbiological practices such as disinfecting work surfaces, decontaminating equipment, and labeling specimens. Furthermore, lab personnel must receive training on biosafety principles and procedures and be supervised by a qualified scientist.

3 What are the criteria for BSL-2?

BSL-2 labs are designed for working with agents that can cause moderate human or animal disease, or that present a moderate risk of infection, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and hepatitis B virus. These labs meet all the criteria for BSL-1, plus additional requirements, such as having a self-closing door with a lock and biohazard sign, an autoclave or other method of sterilizing materials before disposal, and a biological safety cabinet (BSC) or other containment device for manipulating infectious materials. Lab personnel also wear additional PPE depending on the type of agent and procedure, follow special practices such as limiting access and using sharps containers, and receive additional training on biosafety and biosecurity. All lab personnel are supervised by a qualified scientist with specific expertise on the agent.

4 What are the similarities between BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs?

BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs share some common features and objectives, such as providing a safe and secure environment for conducting research or diagnostic activities with biological agents, minimizing the risk of exposure or transmission of the agents to lab personnel, the public, and the environment, complying with relevant laws, regulations, and guidelines on biosafety and biosecurity, maintaining a high standard of quality and integrity in the work performed and the data generated, and implementing a biosafety program that includes risk assessment, documentation, training, monitoring, and evaluation.

5 What are the differences between BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs?

BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs differ in the level of containment and protection they provide, based on the level of risk associated with the agents they handle. BSL-1 labs work with agents that are not known to cause disease or that present a very low risk of infection, while BSL-2 labs work with agents that can cause moderate disease or that present a moderate risk of infection. The primary difference is that BSL-1 labs have a basic level of containment, while BSL-2 labs have an enhanced level of containment that includes self-closing doors, biohazard signs, autoclaves, and BSCs. Additionally, BSL-1 labs require standard PPE, while BSL-2 labs require additional PPE depending on the agent and procedure. Furthermore, BSL-1 labs follow standard microbiological practices, while BSL-2 labs follow special practices that limit access, use sharps containers, and report accidents or exposures. Lastly, BSL-1 labs require basic training on biosafety principles and procedures, while BSL-2 labs require additional training on biosafety and biosecurity, and specific expertise on the agent.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?