About EBSA19 - Course C - Effective decontamination and decommissioning of equipment and facilities

Course description:

Laboratory facilities can be rapidly evolving environments, as projects or techniques change, so do the requirements of the laboratories and equipment. This combined with the routine requirement for maintenance; servicing and calibration make the need for effective decontamination methods critical to the operation of laboratory facilities. The introduction of new, complex systems into the laboratories can further complicate these issues and understanding the risks associated with biological samples and the contamination or residues they may level will be considered.

When facilities come to the end of life or have to be returned or passed on to other parties, there will be a requirement to ensure that all the hazards have been identified and were removed. Issues surrounding the decommissioning of facilities, identification of hazards and selection of remediation methods will be discussed. As will the waste streams and disposal options. Much of this discussion will also relate to the refurbishment of existing facilities and the possible hidden or unexpected risks, often only found once physical building work has started, but which can lead to significant delays. Structure approaches to the decommissioning of facilities will be considered, in light of the requirements of legislation and guidance.

Rendering equipment safe to handle is still critical to ensure the safety of both operational and service staff. Decontamination strategies will be reviewed in light of the type and levels of contamination and the final end point (maintenance, re-used or disposal). The impact of ever more restrictive environmental controls, European legislation and safety concerns continue to restrict the use of some of the more traditional chemical disinfects, and it cannot be assumed that those you use today, will still be available in years to come. Advice and guidance will be given regarding the decontamination methods and the choice and suitability of disinfectants. This will include how to interpret externally generated validation data, including the limitation of such information, along with methods and techniques to undertake in-house validation of decontamination strategies.

Main topics

• Identify and understand the relevant legislation
• Understand the mode of action for different disinfectants
• Identify the most appropriate decontamination methods and strategies for equipment
• dentify appropriate biological and chemical decontamination methods for facilities, prior to change of use or decommissioning
• Understand and advise on validation and test methods for decontamination

CWA16335:2011 Biosafety professional competence references:

7.2.13 Infection control, disinfection, decontamination and sterilisation
The biosafety professional shall be able to understand the most important elements of infection control, disinfection, decontamination and sterilisation, as well as their efficacy. The biosafety professional shall be able to advise on choice and the correct use of methods.

7.2.14 Biological waste management
The biosafety professional shall be able to develop a biological waste management plan, including validation and verification, and advise on implementation of the plan.

Instructors:
Simon Parks
Felix Gmunder