It is easy for groups within institutions to fall victim to a “silo” operational approach, between handling day-to-day operations and unplanned challenges. The danger in this is obvious when safety is isolated as a group few know about and only turn to when there is an occupational exposure. Building bridges between safety professionals and other groups within an institution - be it veterinary support, maintenance or researchers - is important to ensure the safety of all employees and strengthen safety culture. Implementing communication programs to build internal outreach can take the form of periodic publications or regular working group meetings. [...]

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2021 Biosafety and Biosecurity Month in October. Putting a spotlight on Biosafety and Biosecurity at our institutions is an excellent way to foster a culture of biosafety and biosecurity. Did you know that Biosafety and Biosecurity Month began as a “National Biosafety Stewardship Month”, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health Office of Science Policy as an initiative to promote stewardship of the life sciences and biosafety awareness? In 2017, the torch was passed from the NIH OSP to ABSA Intl. to continue the spotlight month. We’ve celebrated four years of different [...]