Biosafety Learning and Knowledge

Now Available :

• Biosafety e-Learning and Resources Portal

The portal currently contains a variety of courses and resources, including:

• Principles of Laboratory Biosafety e-Learning Course
• This modular course has been developed by the Pathogen Regulation Directorate, PHAC and the Office of Biohazard Containment and Safety, CFIA to help strengthen biosafety principles.  There are eight internet-based courses:
• Microbiology Overview: This course provides a review of basic microbiology concepts.
• Risk and Containment of Pathogens: This course introduces the concept of risk assessment and risk groups and goes on to discuss the risk factors involved in assessing the risk group of a pathogen.
• Risk Group Definitions and Containment Classification: This course examines laboratory containment levels and the factors you need to take into consideration when assessing containment level requirements.
• Laboratory Acquired Infections: This course presents information about laboratory acquired infections.
• General Safety Practices for Containment Laboratories: This course presents information on safe operational practices that apply to all containment level laboratories.
• Personal Protective Equipment: This course presents information on personal protective equipment.
• Operational Practices for Containment Laboratories: This course presents information on safe operational practices in containment level 2 laboratories.
• Biological Safety Cabinets: This course presents information on the safe use of Biological Safety Cabinets (BSC).
• Instructional videos on biosafety which can be viewed for free online:
  • Biosafety 101 (instructional DVD)
  • Containment Level 2 Laboratory: Operational Practices(instructional DVD) 
  • Containment Level 3 Laboratories: Operational Practices (instructional DVD)
• Reference posters on good microbiological practices that can be downloaded and printed:
  • Biosafety in the Laboratory
  • Procedures to Minimize Aerosol Hazards

Biosafety Events :

• Annual Canadian Biosafety Symposium