Biological agents
Background
Biological agents include living organisms (plants, animals, microbes, fungi,...), viruses or infectious proteins (prions) or biological material originating from it. This broad term covers pathogenic micro-organisms that cause infectious diseases (like Legionnaires’ disease, caused by Legionella or Q-fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii,...), as well as metabolic compounds like aflatoxins, endotoxins, dead cells and bigger structures as skin flakes or grain dust. Biological agents can cause a large variety of health effects (infection, toxic reaction, allergic reaction, cancer,...).
Legislation
- KB Biological agents (04/08/1996) (Dutch)
- Legionella decree (09/02/2007) (Dutch)
- Indoor air decree (11/06/2004) (Dutch)
Standards
- NBN EN 1309:2000 Workplace atmosphere – Guidelines for measurement of airborne micro-organisms and endotoxin
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more information : http://www.nbn.be
Documentation
- Arbokennisdossier Biological agents (Dutch)
- Arbokennisdossier Legionella (Dutch)
- Biological Terrorism High Council Prevention and Protection (Dutch)
- Biological agents on arboagenda (Dutch)
- Biological agents: class Maurits De Ridder (Dutch)
- INRS brochure Les risques biologiques en milieu professionel (French)
- INRS brochure Les risques biologiques liés aux techniques de génie génétique en laboratoire (French)
- MMK Manual Indoor air decree (Dutch)
- NIOSH Preventing Organic Toxic Dust Syndrome
- Infectious Diseases Surveillance (Book 2011 in Dutch)
- Sobane brochure Biological agents (Dutch)
- Toolbox teken (Dutch)
- WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality Dampness and Moulds and Selected Polluants
Tools
- Aquafin e-learning modules (Dutch) “Biologische agentia” and “Besmetting en preventiemaatregelen”
- Bioaerosol choosing respiratory protection against bioaerosols
- BioRAM Biorisk Assessment Modelling Software
- Blauwdruk RI&E Biologische Agentia Excel Tool for RA of infectious biological agents in companies (Dutch)
- CDC Worksheet Biological Risk Assessment
- GESTIS Biostoffdatenbank
- INRS Guide EFICATT and BAOBAB (French)
- PHAC PSDS Public Health Agency of Canada Pathogen Safety Data Sheets
Websites
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https://indoorpol.wiv-isp.be/nl/ SIPH subsite on the presence of micro-organisms in man created indoor environments
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http://osha.europa.eu/en The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work does not have a subsite Biological agents, but a search 'Biological agents' gives a wealth of information, as well as the search 'Legionella'
- http://www.absa.org/ American Biological Safety Association with a lot of documentation, videos, manuals and a very detailed list with further biosafety links
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http://www.aiha.org/ American Industrial Hygiene Association has a Biosafety Committee
- http://www.apic.org/ Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
- http://www.arbeidshygiene.nl/ the Dutch Occupational Hygiene Society has a specific workgroup Biological factors (Dutch)
- http://www.arbokennisnet.nl (Dutch) Specialised Dutch site to gain ‘arbokennis’
- http://www.arboportaal.nl/ (Dutch) Starting point of the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment for information on working conditions, specific section Biological agents(Dutch)
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http://www.asm.org/ American Society for Microbiology has specific subpages on biosafety
- http://www.biosafety.be/ Site of the Belgian Biosafety Server, trilingual Dutch/Fr/En with specific useful information for Belgium and Europe
- http://www.bossons-fute.fr/ (French) French site with occupational flash cards and occupational risk flash cards: see flash card biological agents, bioterrorism, animal stool,animals... (French)
- http://www.en.bvfplatform.nl/home.html The association Biological Safety Officers Platform aims at the development of biological safety in all facets of its specialism for biosafety officers in the Netherlands
- http://www.cdc.gov/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention subsite on biosafety and bioterrorism with publications, forms and online training material
- http://www.dsmz.de/ Leibniz-Institut DSMZ, one of the world’s largest centers with thousands of bacterial- and fungal species, human, animal and vegetable cellines including classification of micro-organisms in risk groups
- http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/activities/surveillance/ELDSNet/Pages/Index.aspx European Legionnaires’ Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet)
- http://www.emis.vito.be/ (Dutch) Energy and Environmental Information System for the Flemish Department with subsection Legionella control in new sanitary systems (Dutch)
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http://www.hse.gov.uk British Health and Safety Executive subsite biosafety including occupation related infections and GMO (genetically modified organisms), as well as a special section Legionella
- https://sites.google.com/site/aerobiologyinternational/ International Association for Aerobiology
- http://www.icgeb.org/ International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
- http://en.inrs.fr/ The French National Institute for Research and Security has a special section Biological agents (French) on the site
- http://www.kiza.nl/ (Dutch) Kennissysteem Infectieziekten en Arbeid
- http://www.legionellavraagbaak.nl/ (Dutch) Dutch site for everyone with questions on Legionella
- http://www.osha.gov/ The American Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a specific subsection Biological agents
- http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-ftss/index-eng.php Public Health Agency of Canada site with Pathogen Safety Data Sheets and Risk Assessment
- http://www.rivm.nl/ (Dutch) has a section on the LCHV (Landelijk Centrum Hygiëne en Veiligheid) with specific guidelines for public healthcare (Dutch)
- http://www.sante.gouv.fr/sites-internet.html (French) French Ministry in charge of health, contains a specific subsection with useful links for biological agents
- http://www.weekvandeteek.nl/ (Dutch) Website specifically dedicated to the risks of tick bits
- http://www.werk.belgie.be/ (Dutch) Explanations and documentation of the Belgian FPS ELSD accompanying the Royal Decree Biological agents (04/08/1996)
- http://www.wfcc.info/ World Federation for Culture Collections
- http://www.who.int/ has a specific startpage Air Pollution (indoor and outdoor)
- http://www.zorginfecties.be/ (Dutch) Campaign hand hygiene to fight infections in Flemish home care centers