Field Biosafety Guidelines

I. Tick Precautions for Yale University Researchers

II. Yale University "Acknowledgement Form on Hazards Associated with Outdoor Fieldwork"

IV. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Arthropod Disease Information

IV. Field Work Abroad

• If you are participating in field work consideration should be given to establishing a set of safety guidelines based on the potential exposure that you may face. Biosafety has prepared a brief field guide based on the CDC's Guidelines for Field Work from the Sin Nombre virus outbreak in the American Southwest. This guide is available through the Biosafety Office at 785-3550.
• In addition to our standard safety programs, researchers who may face exposure to human clinical specimens should also address the following:

  1) Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination. If not already vaccinated, a 3 shot series is required to complete the immunization (days 0, 30, and 180). HBV vaccination is available through Student Medicine or the Employee Health Office.

  2) HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis. Current CDC guidelines recommend the availability of prophylactic drugs for immediate (1-2 hour) response to high risk HIV exposures. Consult with your sponsor and advisor to review whether HIV post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended for your project and to discuss the current recommended drug regimen.

  3) Safe needle handling and disposal. Current OSHA Regulation mandates that needles not be recapped, bent, broken, or otherwise manipulated by hand. Leakproof, labeled, puncture resistant sharps containers must also be available in the immediate vicinity of use. If you must remove the needle from a syringe, use a hemostat or forceps, and not your hands for this task. This rule also applies to scalpels and other sharps. Use a forceps or small pliers for changing the blade, and keep your hand out of the path of the scalpel blade. In a previous project reviewed by our office in an underdeveloped nation, modern sharps containers were not available for the research project. In this protocol, empty rigid bleach containers were utilized to collect sharps. The containers were closed when they were ¾ full and treated and disposed of in accordance with the regulations of the host site (incinerated).

  4) Protective Clothing. In a clinical or research setting on campus, lab coats, gloves, and face protection is readily available. Check with your sponsor to ensure that protective clothing is available. Otherwise, plan on bringing a supply of gloves, safety glasses, surgical masks, and a lab coat (all listed supplies are available in the Medical School Stockroom located in SHM IE-7).

  5) Handwashing. Soap and running water are not available in many remote sites. OSHA mandates handwashing after removing gloves and other protective clothing and before leaving for lunch and non-clinical areas. In areas without a sink, use alcohol or other disinfectant-wipes as a pre-wash, and follow with a full hand wash as soon as you get to a source of running water. You may also need to bring a supply of disinfectant hand wipes.

  If you have any questions regarding a safety and health aspect for your project, don't hesitate to contact Biosafety at 785-3550 for assistance.