The OSHA and ABSA Alliance will continue to focus on enhancing workplace health and safety and to assist employers, including small businesses, in developing a preventive focus for biological safety issues. The Alliance's goals include:
Outreach and communication
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and ABSA's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
- Speak, exhibit or appear at OSHA's or ABSA's conferences, local meetings, or other events such as ABSA's Annual Conference.
- Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding ABSA's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by ABSA and through OSHA or ABSA developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
Promoting the national dialogue concerning biological safety in the workplace
- Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on Biosafety issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
Products and Resources
Alliance Program Participant Developed Products
- Biological Safety Officer (BSO)/Biological Safety Professional (BSP) Competency Fact Sheet (PDF). Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA developed a fact sheet providing the definition, skills level, knowledge, and experience required for the BSO and BSP. (November 2011).
- BioSafety Levels (US) (PDF). (April 2008).
- General Microbiology Fact Sheet (PDF). Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA developed a fact sheet providing laboratory workers with a reference tool for the most common diseases including information on transmission, signs and symptoms, and incubation period as well as a micrograph visual aid. (December 2010).
- Lentivirus Vector Fact Sheet (PDF). Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA developed a fact sheet that provides professional staff a reference tool on the proper handling and safety procedures for working with these infectious systems in a laboratory. (October 2012).
- Principles of Biosafety Fact Sheet (PDF). Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA developed a fact sheet providing laboratory workers with safety information through twelve valuable rules of biosafety. (April 2008).
- Principles of Good Microbiological Practice Fact Sheet (PDF). Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA developed a fact sheet providing laboratory workers with a reference tool on the proper handling and safety procedures for working with infectious agents or materials. (May 2011).
- Select Agent Diseases Fact Sheet (PDF). Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA developed a fact sheet providing laboratory workers with a reference tool that includes the symptoms, transmission, and treatment for some of the most commonly encountered pathogens or biological toxins that are federally regulated and have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety. (July 2008).
- Zoonotic Diseases Fact Sheet (PDF). Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA developed a fact sheet providing laboratory workers with a reference tool that includes the symptoms, transmission, and treatment for some of the most commonly encountered diseases that are generally found in animals but can be spread to humans. (July 2008).
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages
- Anthrax. (August 2017).
- Avian Flu. (May 2018).
- Biological Agents. (September 2019).
- Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention. (October 2018).
- Botulism. (October 2017).
- Foodborne Disease. (May 2019).
- Hantavirus. (April 2017).
- Indoor Air Quality. (June 2017).
- Legionnaires' Disease. (August 2018).
- Molds. (August 2019).
- Plague. (June 2017).
- Ricin. (April 2017).
- Smallpox. (April 2017).
- Tularemia. (March 2017).
- Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs). (March 2017).
OSHA eTools
- Hospital. (February 2002). †
Publications and Newsletters
- On-line Resource: OSHA Infectious Dose White Paper (PDF). ABSA Alliance News.
- On-line Resource: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Web Site on Legionnaires' Disease Bacteria (PDF). ABSA Alliance News.
Additional Resources
- ABSA/OSHA Alliance page.