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Environmental Health and Safety

Biosafety

The purpose of the Illinois State University Biosafety Program is to protect the faculty, staff and students from exposure to biohazardous materials. Illinois State University is taking precautionary measures to guard against the release of biohazardous materials that may harm humans, animals, plants or the environment.

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) develops, reviews, and updates guidelines describing standard procedures for the use of biohazards. IBC also wants to protect the integrity of experiment being conducted at the University. The Institutional Biosafety Committee will see that the proper training resources are available along with making sure that medical surveillance, hazard identification, and recordkeeping are being utilized in the laboratories. The IBC will review resources within the laboratory for safety compliance. All research will be reviewed by Research Ethics and Compliance that involves biohazards, regardless of its source of financial support. All research must be approved by the IBC and must conform to the IBC policies and procedures.

Biosafety Training

Principal Investigators (PI) and associated lab workers included in a biosafety protocol must complete Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training. Training must be completed prior to performing any research or work activities covered under a research protocol.

  • Initial Biosafety Training - Provides training for researchers handling biohazards in a research or clinical laboratory. The course addresses awareness of biohazards, risk assessment, and key risk management principles including work practices, personal protective equipment (PPE), engineering controls, and emergency response.
  • Hazard Communication - Provides an overview of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard, which gives personnel the “right-to-know” about chemicals used, stored, or handled in their workplaces.
  • NIH Recombinant DNA (rDNA) Guidelines - Provides Principal Investigators and those responsible for the conduct of recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid research experiments with basic training and an overview of the requirements established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  • Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) Training – Provides an overview of how bloodborne pathogens are spread, how to avoid exposure, and what to do if exposed to human blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM). Designed to provide initial training or annual retraining that meets the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen Standard.
  • Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) Training – Provides training for members of the organization’s IBC, with a focus in general biosafety and the requirements of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant and Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules.

Below are basic instructions on registering for CITI training, adding modules, and documenting completion.

  • Create a CITI account at https://about.citiprogram.org/ . The following link from ISU Research Ethics and Compliance provides information on CITI Training Initial Registration https://research.illinoisstate.edu/ethics/training/citi/ . Select either Principal Investigator or Lab/Research Staff as your role. For IBC, select Lab/Research Staff.
  • Click View Courses and then Add a Course.
  • For Questions 1-10, make sure you indicate “none of the above” or “not at this time” to finish the course selection process.
  • Go to Question 11 Biosafety/Biosecurity.
    • If you are a PI or lab worker:
      • Select Initial Biosafety Training and Hazard Communication;
      • If research involves rDNA or synthetic nucleic acids, also check NIH Recombinant DNA Guidelines;
      • If research or work activities involve potential exposure to human blood or other potentially infectious material as defined by OSHA , also check Bloodborne Pathogens; and
      • Check any other courses applicable to your research such as Animal Biosafety, Shipping and Transport of Regulated Biological Materials, Dual Use Research of Concern, and USDA Permits. Note: The Initial Biosafety Training course covers personal protective equipment and emergency and spill response, so there is no need to select these boxes on the Add a Course screen.
    • If you are a member of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC):
      • Select Institutional Biosafety Committee Member Training.
    • If you are a PI and an IBC Member:
      • Select Initial Biosafety Training and Institutional Biosafety Committee Member Training. Individual modules will overlap in these courses; however, you will get credit in both courses when completing overlapping modules.
  • Once a course is completed, you may print out your own completion report and individual certificates from the My Records section. PIs are not able to pull reports for their lab workers so please ensure they are providing proof of completion for recordkeeping.

To complete Initial Biosafety Training, there are 15 required modules (14 modules in Initial Biosafety and one in Hazard Communication) and two additional modules that must be completed as applicable (rDNA and Bloodborne Pathogens). Most modules take about 10–20 minutes to complete. Each module has a short quiz which require 80% to pass. Estimated time to complete all modules is 3-5 hours. Experienced researchers may require less time to complete the modules. You can start and stop modules at any time and your progress will be saved. Refresher training will be required every five years and re-training can be assigned if the Committee or Chair determine there is a need.

CITI training is available to all ISU faculty, staff, and students so if anyone would like to take training regardless of whether a protocol is necessary, it is available. Undergraduate student workers are not required to complete CITI training under the conditions that they are constantly supervised by a trained employee and have completed and signed the Agreement to Adhere to Lab Safety Policies and OHS Training and Awareness Form.

All training documentation including CITI and the Agreement to Adhere to Lab Safety Policies must be kept on file by the PI or faculty/staff member and be made available upon request.

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