public health preparedness and response
Florida Scientists Tackle Lab Biosafety and Biosecurity
by Michael Marsico , MS , specialist , Biosafety and Biosecurity
top : The storm destroyed the waterproofing layer on PRPHR ’ s roof .
bottom : FEMA provided a generator for PRPHL to restore power in the laboratory .
assistance with acquiring reagents .
Upon completion of the four assessments , the APHL team worked with laboratory staff and CDC to develop plans to restore public health testing services . Although each laboratory had different needs , priorities included consistent access to power , functioning equipment , replacing lost reagents and guaranteeing safe working conditions for staff .
On the Road to Recovery
Four months after Hurricane Maria , the Puerto Rico Department of Health is working diligently to restore essential testing services as the island continues to recover from this devastating event . The four Puerto Rican laboratories , CDC and APHL will continue to collaborate to guarantee the resiliency of these essential public health resources . n
A new cadre of biosafety professionals are taking on laboratory biosafety and biosecurity performance gaps identified during the Ebola outbreak . With
support from APHL , they aim to improve biosafety and biosecurity practices within their respective jurisdictions ( state , locality or territory ). Supplemental funding from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) underwrites this initiative which assists both public health and clinical laboratories .
Ed Kopp and Lylah Seaton launched their public health careers in the Virology Department at the Florida Bureau of Public Health Laboratories ( BPHL ) -Tampa . With this experience as a foundation , they pursued extensive training and study in how to build a biosafety program . Soon they were conducting biosafety risk assessments at Florida ’ s public health and sentinel clinical laboratories and developing biosafety resources with support from BPHL staff . These include biosafety risk assessment tools , a biosafety training and a
resource website .
Kopp and Seaton have not hesitated to think outside the box in pursuit of their objectives . They ’ ve used Glo Germ and smoke machines for training in glove usage , handwashing and proper use of a biosafety cabinet , and posted cues to good biosafety practices around BPHL as entertaining reminders to staff .
In other activities in support of biosafety , Kopp and Seaton have :
• Trained BPHL staff to perform risk assessments of specimen handling and testing processes using the CDC biosafety competency guidelines to assess student knowledge
• Advised BPHL supervisors concerning the biosafety components of CLIAcompliant competency assessments
• Trained clinical laboratories in biosafety risk assessment and tactics to mitigate gaps in biosafety
• Organized practice in donning and doffing of PPE and incident response
• Published a laboratory biosafety newsletter distributed to the BPHL Jacksonville , Tampa and Miami laboratories
Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity ( ELC ) Biosafety funding and APHL resources and training have been instrumental in the development of these positions and resources . Through continued funding and APHL support , Kopp , Seaton and BPHL will continue to develop this safety culture to protect staff and deliver timely , quality lab results . n
top : Biosafety Outreach Officer Ed Kopp inspects a biosafety cabinet at the Florida Department of Health . Photo : FL BPHL
bottom : Biosafety Outreach Officer Lylah Seaton prepares for an inspection . Photo : FL BPHL
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Winter 2018 LAB MATTERS 15 |
public health preparedness and response
Florida Scientists Tackle
Lab Biosafety and Biosecurity
by Michael Marsico, MS, specialist, Biosafety and Biosecurity
A new cadre of biosafety professionals
are taking on laboratory biosafety and
biosecurity performance gaps identified
during the Ebola outbreak. With support
from APHL, they aim to improve biosafety
and biosecurity practices within their
respective jurisdictions (state, locality
or territory). Supplemental funding
from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) underwrites this
initiative which assists both public
health and clinical laboratories.
Ed Kopp and Lylah Seaton launched their
public health careers in the Virology
Department at the Florida Bureau of
Public Health Laboratories (BPHL)-Tampa.
With this experience as a foundation,
they pursued extensive training and
study in how to build a biosafety program.
Soon they were conducting biosafety
risk assessments at Florida’s public
health and sentinel clinical laboratories
and developing biosafety resources
with support from BPHL staff. These
include biosafety risk assessment tools, a
biosafety training and a resource website.
top: The storm destroyed the waterproofing layer on
PRPHR’s roof.
bottom: FEMA provided a generator for PRPHL to restore
power in the laboratory.
assistance with acquiring reagents.
Upon completion of the four assessments,
the APHL team worked with laboratory
staff and CDC to develop plans to
restore public health testing services.
Although each laboratory had different
needs, priorities included consistent
access to power, functioning equipment,
replacing lost reagents and guaranteeing
safe working conditions for staff.
On the Road to Recovery
Four months after Hurricane Maria, the
Puerto Rico Department of Health is
working diligently to restore essential
testing services as the island continues
to recover from this devastating event.
The four Puerto Rican laboratories, CDC
and APHL will continue to collaborate
to guarantee the resiliency of these
essential public health resources. n
PublicHealthLabs
@APHL
• Organized practice in donning and
doffing of PPE and incident response
• Published a laboratory biosafety
newsletter distributed to the
BPHL Jacksonville, Tampa
and Miami laboratories
Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity
(ELC) Biosafety funding and APHL
resources and training have been
instrumental in the development of
these positions and resources. Through
continued funding and APHL support,
Kopp, Seaton and BPHL will continue to
develop this safety culture to protect staff
and deliver timely, quality lab results. n
Kopp and Seaton have not hesitated to
think outside the box in pursuit of their
objectives. They’ve used Glo Germ and
smoke machines for training in glove
usage, handwashing and proper use of
a biosafety cabinet, and posted cues to
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