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At Curtin we study pathogenic microorganisms, seeking cures for the diseases of people, animals and plants.
For information about how to handle the samples, refer to Sections 3-5 of the Australian/New Zealand Standard 2243.3:2022 Safety in laboratories Part 3: Microbiological safety and containment. Curtin staff and students have access to the Standard through Curtin Library’s TechStreet account.
If you can handle your microorganism at the same Physical Containment level as their Risk Group then you don’t need approval from your Biosafety Partner. This includes handling the microorganism entirely within a Class II Biosafety Cabinet if it can be infective via the respiratory route. However, if you need to use non-standard methods, contact your Biosafety Partner. They will help you to assess the risks of your methods before you can begin work.
Immunisations
We recommend you get the appropriate immunisations listed in The Australian Immunisation Handbook 2018. There may be other vaccinations available that are relevant to the samples you are handling.
Health Monitoring
Before starting work with microorganisms pathogenic to humans, all lab users must have pre-exposure infection status screening performed. Contact a medical doctor at the Curtin University Health Service to discuss pre-exposure infection status screening. You must also initiate health monitoring of all lab users to identify if anyone becomes infected during the work.
Security Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBAs)
The Security Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBA) Regulatory Scheme limits the opportunities for acts of bioterrorism or biocrime to occur using harmful biological agents. Curtin is not registered to work with SSBAs, so it’s illegal for any of our people to store or work with SSBAs.
SSBAs are weaponisable pathogens or toxins that could be used to make a bioweapon.
All activities related to SSBAs are regulated by the National Health Security Act (2007) – Part 3. It’s illegal to have any SSBA unless it’s being held following all the requirements of the SSBA regulatory system. Curtin is not registered to work with SSBAs, so it’s illegal for any of our people to store or work with SSBAs.
immediately to discuss the possibility once the proper registration has been gained from the Federal Government Department of Health and Aging.
It’s possible to culture an SSBA from an environmental sample or a biological sample without specifically meaning to do so. If you become aware that you have cultured a presumptive SSBA, you must immediately contact your Biosafety Partner.
Part 3 of the National Health Security Act 2007 and Regulations 2018 describes a national scheme for the regulation of SSBAs in Australia and builds on Australia’s obligations under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (1975) and UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004).
The Department of Health is the administrative body under the Act. Any institution that intends to store or perform research with, SSBAs must be registered with the Department of Health before the agent is imported into their site.
Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL)
Unless they are SSBAs, you are allowed to work with the pathogens and toxins on the Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL), but you might need a Defence Permit to export them out of Australia.
