public health preparedness and response
Biosafety officials , sentinel clinical laboratorians , CDC officials , APHL members and staff attended the second APHL Regional Biosafety Workshop hosted at Hawaii State Laboratories Division
APHL hosts its third Regional Biosafety workshop at Florida Department of Health Bureau of Public Health Laboratories
APHL Regional Workshops Build Better BSOs by Sean Page , associate specialist , Public Health Preparedness and Response
In 2015 , you could count the number of designated public health laboratory ( PHL ) biosafety officials and officers ( BSOs ) on one hand . However , as several safety lapses were observed in federal and clinical laboratories , the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) saw the value of strengthening dedicated biosafety and biosecurity programs nationwide . To assist PHLs with this initiative , APHL has created four regional workshops designed to enhance the technical knowledge of PHL BSOs , especially those who have been in the position for less than a year . Massachusetts State PHL in Jamaica Plain , Hawaii State Laboratories Division in Pearl City , Florida Bureau of Public Health Laboratories in Tampa and Los Angeles County PHL in Downey hosted workshops .
The two-day regional workshops take place in a small classroom setting to provide BSOs with a forum to ask questions and network with one another .
Setting a Sound Structure
APHL ’ s two-day workshops take place in a small classroom setting to provide BSOs with a forum to ask questions and network with one another . An average of 20 participants per workshop attend lectures on engineering controls , competencies , biosafety planning , sentinel clinical laboratory outreach , leadership and other topics . Lectures are followed by exercises to consolidate knowledge and share experiences . Participants receive a binder containing the lectures and exercises , a flash drive with supporting biosafety documents , continuing education credits and a certificate of completion .
Stories Told , Lessons Learned
At the workshops , newly appointed BSOs shared stories and experiences : curbing an employee ’ s unsafe habits , implementing a biosafety plan , encountering resistance to biosafety best practices and being a BSO while also juggling other laboratory responsibilities . Attendees canvassed their more experienced colleagues for ways to promote biosafety best practices and to strengthen relationships with clinical laboratories .
After analyzing the workshop demographics and feedback from BSOs who attended the first regional workshop in MA , APHL added a component , “ Buying into Biosafety ” to future workshops . Anthony Troiano , PhD , from the Rhode Island State Public Health Laboratory , covered this new addition and shared his experiences as a first year BSO .
What ’ s Next ?
APHL continues to evolve the curriculum to ensure it is meeting the needs of the participants . Since the completion of the four regional workshops , APHL has convened an internal group to develop a new curriculum which will focus on strengthening the leadership skills of BSOs .
APHL ' s Public Health Preparedness and Response Staff thanks the laboratory directors and staff for hosting the four regional workshops : Michael A . Pentella , PhD , D ( ABMM ), laboratory director , Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory ; A . Christian Whelen , PhD , D ( ABMM ), administrator , State Laboratories Division , Hawaii Department of Health ; Andrew C . Cannons , PhD , HCLD ( ABB ), laboratory director , Bureau of Public Health Laboratories-Tampa ; and Nicole Green , PhD , D ( ABMM ), laboratory director , Los Angeles Public Health Laboratory .
Biosafety officials , APHL members and staff attended the first APHL Regional Biosafety Workshop hosted at Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory
APHL Regional Biosafety and Biosecurity Workshop participants practice donning and doffing . Hawaii State Laboratories Division , Pearly City , HI
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LAB MATTERS Winter 2017 |
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