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This guide discusses the critical operational strategies for establishing and improving BSL3 labs in Southeast Asia, emphasizing sustainability, biosafety, and biosecurity. Key local challenges such as design approvals, procurement, and maintenance are outlined, along with the importance of employing qualified biocontainment engineers. The need for timely project management, regional training, and adherence to global standards is stressed. It also covers common design pitfalls and cost-effective energy solutions, providing a comprehensive framework for overcoming barriers to biosafety in the region.
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Design and operational options for improving sustainability, biosafety, and biosecurity in southeast Asia. • Stuart D. Blacksell MPH PhD RBP • Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. • Centre for Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Local Challenges: building a BSL3 lab • Estimate the amount of time that you think it will take to design and build the labAND THEN DOUBLE IT!!!! • Design to a required standard (WHO, BMBL) • Appoint project mangers and commission consultants reports EARLY • Select a biocontainment engineer with local/regional experience (prequalified by PM) • Be wary of “Turnkey” contractors without local experience • Lack of biocontainment engineers in Asia
Local Challenges: building a BSL3 lab Cont. • Approvals for design and workflows • Procurement • Construction • Commissioning and accreditation • Accredit against the design standard • Select an experienced accreditation team Benchmark time for BSL3 completion is 2 years
Local Challenges: Biosecurity engineers • Lack of engineers with experience in biosecurity design • Consultants and Contractors overestimate their capabilities • No formal training • Development of a Biosecurity Engineering curriculum at local universities • Development funds for training and scholarships
Common design mistakes • Biological Safety Cabinets • Wrong class • Incorrect placement • Interrupted air flows • Hand basins • Location and type • Unable to seal room for decontamination • Laboratory ventilation • Insufficient negative pressure • Location of inlets and exhausts • Location of benches and other equipment
Local Challenges: Other BSL3 engineering “issues” • “Reverse” cleanrooms • Unservicable or Inaccessable HEPA filters • Storage of BSL3 organisms outside BSL3 labs • No routine checking of BSCII • Non-biosecure 2-door autoclaves • Rooms that generate positive rather than negative pressures
Facilities maintenance and testing • Whatever is built must have locally available service! • Maintenance budgets - often overlooked • BSC testing/HEPA testing • NSF49 or other • Urgent need for accredited BSC/filter testers • Role for donors and partners • Routine upgrades and replacements • Money for new labs is simple! • Easy to see where money has been spent • Difficult to get maintenance budgets!
Other considerations • BSL3 Energy costs • Tropical climate • BSL3 single pass air = very expensive and wasteful • Why not recirculation 85% of the air with additional HEPA filtration • Regional training faculties • Biocontainment engineering/Biosafety Officers/Maintenance • Not for profit • Use facilities and experience that is already available locally • Assess the risks • Do we really need a BSL3 lab? • Can we use BSL2 lab with BSL3 practices
Energy conservation? (some thoughts) Now… Future??... HEPA EF EF AHU AHU HEPA HEPA BSC BSC BSL3LAB BSL3LAB
Conclusions • Focus areas for building a BSL3 lab • Standards, regulations and laws • Know what standard (BMBL5?) • People • Project manager (prequalify) • Biocontainment engineer (prequalify) • General contractors (prequalify) • Client (be knowledgeable) • Documents • Specifications compliance • Budget and contingencies
