Biosafety
Utah Public Health Laboratory
Biosafety evaluates the safety and risks involved with handling and containing infectious substances and hazardous materials. Addressing these risks, and establishing protocols to protect worker safety, is a vital part of UPHL's mission. However, biosafety should be an integral part of any biological laboratory.
Who benefits and who pays for it? Why do we emphasize biosafety in our work paradigm?
These are defining questions about an aspect of laboratory work that has only recently been defined. The answers all come down to a single word, Risk.
The fact laboratorians face risk in their environment is not news. Our work is inherently risky by working to identify unknown pathogens. We work with a myriad of organisms in ways that actually propagate bacteria and viruses that cause disease. Biosafety is a tool we can use to mitigate those risks to the laboratory worker. Maintaining a safe and healthy workforce benefits the worker, the facility, and the community. Applying a culture of biosafety in our work prevents laboratory acquired infections, reduces time away from work due to illness, reduces costs for re-training and establishing coverage, and allows the essential health care service of the laboratory to run smoothly.
The laboratory is a cornerstone of health care and a crucible for diagnostic and healing tools. Biosafety principles and practices assist the good work performed by people in laboratories, who are vital components of wellness for all.
At UPHL, we emphasize the wellness of our staff in many ways. Biosafety is a facet of a holistic approach to worker satisfaction. The proximity to unknown pathogens from a large population poses risk to our dedicated staff that we address with adherence to biosafety standards. Maintaining a safe environment ensures the continuance of the essential responsibilities we accept as stewards of the public health laboratory service to the citizens of Utah.
The Biosafety Newsletter entitled Standard Deviations is written by Bryan Burk, UPHL's resident Biosafety Officer. The past issues of the newsletter can be found below. Please enjoy! If you wish to receive the weekly newsletter via email, send your information to Bryan Burk
December 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Parasites in the Lab opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Forget Forgetting opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Recapitulating My Ontogeny opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Chinese Pathogen Kills Billions! opens in a new tab
November 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: In Search of the Magic Bullet opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Other Elephant opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Oh, K opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Magic or Medicine? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Leftovers opens in a new tab
October 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Watching Out opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Forms and Function opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: From There to Here opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Is Amerithrax Solved? opens in a new tab
September 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Offhand Biosafety opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Cover-Up opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Break Time opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: A Worm and Baloney Sandwich opens in a new tab
August 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Dusty Trails, Dusty Trials opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: O(oh-oh) Candida! opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: This Yeast is a Beast opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Fungus, Friend or Foe? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Invasion of the Body Snatchers opens in a new tab
July 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Turn Up the Heat! opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Air Handling Blows opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Do You Know the Lab Blowhard? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly opens in a new tab
June 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: June Bugs! What Brood X Bodes opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: When the Going Gets Tough, Pt 1 opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: A Bug's Life opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Big Bug Battle opens in a new tab
May 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: We're Not Immune from Mistakes opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Deep Doo-Doo opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: What Were We Thinking? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Calamity Control opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The 2021 Memorial Day opens in a new tab
April 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: April Fools opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Fools Rush In opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Lab Week 2021 opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Perception vs Deception opens in a new tab
March 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: March Madness Begins (Last Month) opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: March Madness - Cerebral Malaria opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: March Madness - The Brain Eaters opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: March Madness - Out of Sight, Out of Mind? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: March Madness - Cabin Fever vs Neuro COVID-19 opens in a new tab
February 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Who is Eunice Rivers? Part 1 opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Who is Eunice Rivers? Part 2 opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Who is Eunice Rivers? Part 3 opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Who is Eunice Rivers? Part 4 opens in a new tab
January 2021
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Mistletoe's Missing opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Hot Under the Collar? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Getting Old is a Weighty Matter opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Maritime Mitochondria opens in a new tab
December 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Losing Ground opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Danger, Will Robinson! opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: All She Wants for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Hindsight is 2020 opens in a new tab
November 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Various-Observations-That-Endure opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Winners and Losers opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Time to Get Real opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: To Resolve Risk We Must Be Resolute opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Necessity, the Mother of Invention opens in a new tab
October 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: And Now, the Rest of the Story (Again?) opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS - REPRINT: The Nina, The Pinta, and the Spirochete? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Pandemic? Which One? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Wise Up or Clean Up opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Time for Biosafety! opens in a new tab
September 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Labor Day Laughs opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Managing Mosquitoes opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Other Side of the Story opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Less is More? opens in a new tab
August 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Numbers Game opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Dog Days Diversion opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Other Side opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Standards Matter opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: A Differential Difference opens in a new tab
July 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Fly Your Flag opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: What You Can't See Can Kill You opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Risky Business opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Coronavirus Cover-Up opens in a new tab
June 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Way Things Work opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Take the Pledge opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Plotting the Peril opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Why I Do This opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Deja Vu opens in a new tab
May 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: pH. Small Word, Big Influence opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Safety Check opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Risk Changes opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Real Memorial Day opens in a new tab
April 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: ACE2 is the Place opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Jumping to Conclusions opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: PPE is not the Answer, and is only Part of the Problem opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Drink to Your Health opens in a new tab
March 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Does this Taste Bad to You? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Bringing You into the Fold opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3... opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Keeping a Perspective opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Virus Versus Verse opens in a new tab
February 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: All for Naught opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: IFAQ - Infrequently Asked Questions opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Risky Business opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Coronavirus and Gender Bias opens in a new tab
January 2020
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: All Hands on Deck opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Location, Location, Location opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Personal Personal Protective Equipment opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: A Conversation between Mother Nature and Her Problem Child opens in a new tab
December 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: An Ounce of Prevention? We Could Use a Ton. opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: A Tale of Two...Bugs? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Aporkalypse opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Koala Conundrum opens in a new tab
November 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Dumping the Bag opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Is Your Dog a Canary? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Look, Ma! No Ropes!? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Backing Bugs in Battle opens in a new tab
October 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: New Kid on the Block opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Time's Up! opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Making Room for Safety opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Dressed for Success opens in a new tab
September 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Relax, It's Labor Day!?! opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Are You Ready to be Surprised? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Taking a Shot at Influenza opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Handing it Over, and Over, and Over opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: PPE - Biosafety's Stepchild? opens in a new tab
August 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Noticing the Neglected opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Dengue, It's Hot! opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Dengue! Dengue! Round II (...and it's worse the second time!) opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Dengue! Dengue! Dengue! It's Everywhere (almost). opens in a new tab
July 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: How I See It opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Measles and Real Risk opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Signs of the Times opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Vaccination Vacillation opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Zika!? What Zika? opens in a new tab
June 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Year Later, Still Yellowstone's Fault opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: X-Factors opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Watch Out! opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Venereal Disease opens in a new tab
May 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Understanding Risk opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: The Truth about Truvada opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Salute to Moms opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Reality Check opens in a new tab
April 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Quote Me On This opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Porcine Pandemonium and Proselytizing Preparedness opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: OINK opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Noticing What's Not on Your Radar opens in a new tab
March 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Location, Location, Location opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Killer K-9 Klebsiella opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Juggling Jelly Jars opens in a new tab
February 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Going, Going, Gonorrhea opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Flora, Friend or For? opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Expecting Ebola opens in a new tab
January 2019
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Dys(gusting)biosis opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Calendar Challenges opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Build That Wall opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Aroma Therapy opens in a new tab
December 2018
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Resolve Renewal opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Elves Need Christmas Too opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Tis the Season opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Risky Business opens in a new tab
- STANDARD DEVIATIONS: Packing Parachutes Efficiently (PPE) opens in a new tab
November 2018
- CDC's Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories 5th Edition opens in a new tab
- CDC Handwashing opens in a new tab
- World Health Organization (WHO) Laboratory Biosafety Manual, 3rd Edition opens in a new tab
- APHL "The 1, 2, 3's of Biosafety Levels" opens in a new tab
- OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Guideline opens in a new tab
- ABSA International, The Association for Biosafety and Biosecurity opens in a new tab
- Biosafety and Health, Journal opens in a new tab
Call or email Bryan Burk for questions regarding biosafety or if you would like to be included on the weekly newsletter.
Bryan Burk
Phone: (801)-965-2560
Email: bburk@utah.gov