Safety and Security

NBAF will conduct research on foreign animal and zoonotic diseases - diseases that are caused by pathogens that infect animals but can also be transmitted to humans. The purpose of NBAF is to develop new diagnostics for detecting pathogens in humans, wildlife and domestic animals, and to develop countermeasures, such as vaccines, that will prevent and treat new and existing diseases.

The disease pathogens that will be studied at the NBAF are called “high-consequence” because they can cause lethal infection. For some of these diseases, there presently are no treatments. Scientists use highly secure biosafety labs to study these contagious materials safely and effectively. These state-of-the-art labs are designed not only to protect researchers from contamination, but also to keep the community safe by preventing microorganisms from entering the environment.

	FOR MORE INFORMATION
	Virtual tour of a BSL-4 lab Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health)

Biocontainment research has an exceptional safety record. Multiple high-containment facilities operate safely in North America and Europe, with a 30+- year history of safe operation, even with older, less rigorous designs than will be used for the NBAF. To date, no lapses in safety resulting in community infection have occurred in the U.S. or Canada, even though facilities are often built in densely populated cities.  (Examples: CDC - BSL 4, Galveston,  Canadian Science Center) NBAF will be built to the highest safety standards with multiple levels of redundancy to ensure safety.  There are four biosafety levels (BSLs) that define proper laboratory techniques, safety equipment and design, depending on the types of agents being studied.

• BSL-1 labs are used to study agents not known to consistently cause disease in healthy adults. They follow basic safety procedures and require no special equipment or design features. These labs are located in high school or college biology and chemistry classrooms and research institutions.
• BSL-2 labs are used to study moderate-risk agents that pose a danger if accidentally inhaled, swallowed or exposed to the skin. Safety measures include the use of gloves and eyewear as well as hand-washing sinks and waste decontamination facilities. These laboratories can be found in research institutions, hospitals and medical and veterinary schools.
• BSL-3 labs are used to study agents that can be transmitted through the air and can cause potentially lethal infection. Researchers perform lab manipulations in an air-tight enclosure. Other safety features include clothing decontamination, sealed windows and specialized ventilation systems. BSL-3 AG labs are specially designed to accommodate research with infectious diseases on large animals. A number of BSL-3 and BSL-3 AG labs are already located in Athens at UGA and USDA facilities. In Atlanta, BSL-3 labs are located at the CDC and Emory University. NBAF would have BSL-3 labs.
• BSL-4 labs are used to study agents that pose a high risk of life-threatening disease for which no vaccine or therapy is available. Lab personnel are required to wear full-body, air-supplied suits and to shower when exiting the facility. The labs incorporate all BSL-3 features and occupy safe, isolated zones within a larger building. NBAF would have BSL-4 labs. BSL-4 labs are located in several cities in the U.S., including at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Georgia State University in Atlanta.