Events

Did you know that temporary workers can be found in many academic, healthcare, and industry workplaces that have laboratories? Do you have temporary workers from a staffing agency working in your institution's laboratories alongside employees? Do you know what the legal definition of a temporary worker is, and how this impacts health and safety in your workplace when a temporary worker works in your institution's laboratories? Have you ever wondered who is responsible for the health and safety of a temporary worker who works in your laboratories? These are just some of the questions that will be reviewed and answered during this one-hour webinar. This webinar is for anyone who is involved in EHS/Biosafety Programs at institutions that hire temporary workers who work alongside employees in the laboratory setting. This webinar will be led by representatives from the US Department of Labor - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Temporary Worker Initiative. They will provide an overview of the temporary worker health and safety requirements as well as share best practices and resources that are available to assist you. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are emerging as practical tools to support biosafety and biosecurity programs in communication, hazard analysis, and risk assessment. This interactive two-hour webinar introduces biosafety professionals to responsible and effective use of text-based AI tools to enhance safety documentation and experimental risk evaluations. Participants will learn how to apply AI to break laboratory workflows into task-level hazards, exposure pathways, and control measures aligned with regulatory frameworks and the hierarchy of controls. The session will demonstrate how chatbots can streamline SOP development, risk narratives, incident summaries, and plain-language training materials while maintaining compliance. Emphasis is placed on prompt design strategies for producing structured, reliable outputs. Hands-on exercises guide participants in refining prompts, validating AI-generated content, and addressing biosecurity and data governance considerations. Attendees will leave with practical workflows and reusable prompt templates to integrate AI into biosafety and security operations.

Often seen as common place today are teams of engineers, chemists, biologists and bioinformaticians working together in the same space, using shared equipment or shared areas. Biosafety in the Open Lab is a dynamic, collaborative webinar designed for biosafety and general safety professionals, lab managers, and researchers navigating the complexities of shared, multi-user environments. Moving beyond the traditional lecture format, this session serves as a conversational forum for peer-to-peer exchange and real-time problem-solving. Rooted in proven safe work practices, our four panelists will draw on diverse institutional backgrounds and experience to facilitate a candid discussion on managing mixed-hazard spaces and overcoming the "Tragedy of the Commons." Together, we will explore hazard mitigation with a focus on administrative controls that foster shared accountability and shift laboratory mindsets toward collective responsibility. Attendees will walk away not only with a suite of practical tools and templates but with the collective wisdom of a community dedicated to shoring up institutional safety through inspiration, commiseration, and action.

Animal Research has contributed to major scientific advances in biomedical, veterinary, environmental, and public health science, but presents unique safety challenges and significant risks due to diverse species, complex procedures, and facility hazards. Balancing optimal worker safety and animal welfare with research objectives yields the best results but requires a solid understanding of how animal programs are managed and an ability to identify and mitigate inherent risks. This course provides a thorough introduction to routine hazards commonly encountered in animal programs that utilize rodents, small animals, nonhuman primates, aquatics, and agricultural species, with a primary focus on identifying and managing biological, chemical, radiological, and physical hazards. Topics include assessment and management of animal program hazards; universal regulations, guidelines, and quality standards that apply to animal research; duties and responsibilities of key program personnel; local oversight systems; best practices that enhance the quality of animal care; and strategies for biosafety professionals to develop and maintain effective partnerships with program staff and institutional animal care and use committee members. Opportunities will be provided to apply new knowledge and skills through interactive group activities and problem-solving sessions. The instructors are experienced laboratory animal veterinarians who are actively involved in management, oversight, and evaluation of animal care and use programs. The primary target audience for this course are biosafety and general safety professionals with limited experience in the animal research environment.

August 21, August 24-25, and August 27-28, 2026, 11:00 am – 12:40 pm CDT, In 2019, ISO published a new biorisk management standard that many biomedical research laboratories all over the world are adopting. This workshop will provide presentations, facilitated discussions, and tools to introduce concepts related to biosecurity and biosafety (biorisk) management systems. Attendees will gain a deep understanding of biorisk management (BRM) systems and learn to apply the ISO 35001 framework as a strategic planning tool. The course guides participants in mapping their current systems to the ISO standard, identifying gaps, and prioritizing improvements to enhance biosafety and biosecurity practices. Using the ISO 35001 as a planning and mapping tool, will enable institutions to effectively identify, assess, control, and monitor the laboratory biosafety and biosecurity risks associated with hazardous biological materials using the concept of continual improvement through the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) principle.

September 1 and September 3, 2026 - The course is intended to introduce biosafety professionals to host-pathogen interactions by focusing on fundamentals of immunology, microbiology and their interplay as they pertain to biosafety risk assessments utilizing instructional videos, case studies, established lab acquired infections and publications. Information from this course can assist biosafety professionals assess risks from microbiological research including potential effects of genetic modifications on virulence and infectivity of pathogens, susceptibility of hosts in in-vitro and in-vivo models for IBC review, assessing impact to the wellbeing of research animal hosts for IACUC review, as well as the occupational safety and occupational health of research personnel.

Enhancing Biosafety Training with Generative AI: Multimedia Tools, Workflows, and Best Practices is a practical, application focused course designed for biosafety and biosecurity professionals who develop or deliver training and want to incorporate generative AI to make their materials clearer, faster to build, and more engaging. This session goes beyond introductory AI concepts to show exactly how image, audio, and video generation tools can support the creation of effective biosafety training modules. Attendees will explore free and low cost AI tools capable of generating lab specific visuals, infographics, audio, and short instructional video clips. Instructors will compare the strengths of tools such as Copilot, ChatGPT, Gemini, and other emerging options, and demonstrate how each can be applied to biosafety training.

September 9, 11, 14, 16 and 18 - This course provides essential training for individuals seeking IATA certification for infectious substance shipping. Designed for participants with some prior experience in handling or shipping infectious substances who may not have been certified within the past three years, the course is delivered through five 100-minute online sessions. Each session is followed by homework assignments that reinforce practical skills such as classifying, marking, labeling, packaging, and completing documentation for various infectious substance shipments (Category A, Category B, Exempt Patient Specimens). These assignments replace traditional classroom activities and are required for successful course completion. This course is suitable for personnel responsible for packaging, marking, and labeling shipments of all categories of infectious substances, including dry ice and liquid nitrogen. To earn a certificate and course credit, participants must complete all assignments and pass (80% or better) a written exam administered at the conclusion of the course.

This course describes the resources currently available to provide data on 3,962 Laboratory-acquired infections (LAIs) published between 1979 and 2025 that occurred in clinical, teaching, veterinary laboratories, field studies, and industrial vaccine production. Case studies will highlight some of the challenges for exposure prevention in each setting to show how LAI data can support your biosafety program.

Toxin Science and Safety will provide a basis for the biosafety professional who does not conduct research with these agents but requires a basic understanding of biological toxins and venoms. Since these agents can have such drastic pharmacological effects, they are of great interest to the biomedical research community. An increasing number of research and industrial laboratories are using some of these agents as laboratory reagents. In addition, there are a number of venomous vertebrate and invertebrate species that may be studied in a research environment and can present unique safety considerations. This introductory course will also provide laboratorians working with or contemplating work with these agents with additional foundational knowledge and recommended best practices. The webinar will include interactive case history and risk assessment exercises to apply some of information described in this course.

September 30 & October 2 - This course is intended for those who are already experienced dangerous goods shippers. Professionals who wish to participate in this course must have completed an IATA Dangerous Goods certification course in the past 3 years. This refresher course updates participants on U.S. and international regulations affecting infectious substance shipping. It includes a brief review of regulations, shipper responsibilities, and the nine hazard classes, plus in-depth guidance on classification (Category A, Category B, and exempt materials) and requirements for packaging, marking, and labeling shipments—including those with dry ice or liquid nitrogen. Attendees will complete hands-on exercises, including marking and labeling packages, preparing shipper’s declarations and air waybills, and filling out required documentation. The course concludes with a review and certification test, requiring a minimum score of 80% to pass. Note that IATA certification is issued by the employer.

October 22 & 29: Keeping a select agent program going can be difficult, especially in the face of ever-changing regulatory requirements and limited resources. Established procedures may suddenly become unacceptable, interrupting research and frustrating laboratorians. Likewise, a single unexpected adverse event can put an entire program at risk. Being prepared to deal with such changes and events is critical to maintaining a robust program. Anticipating future challenges can be even more advantageous, elevating a program from good to great. A proactive approach can minimize the impact of new requirements and reduce duration and frequency of crises sparked by sudden, unexpected requirements or events. This course will explore strategies for maintaining and improving an existing program, including how to anticipate and respond to new requirements. The focus will be on U.S. select agent requirements, although a small section on comparable requirements in the international community will be included. Strategies will be based on the instructors’ experience with their program with additional input solicited from class attendees during open discussions. Topics will include select agent program history; effective oversight; efficiently meeting ongoing requirements; reporting, responding to, and analyzing incidents; suitability program case studies; inactivation requirements, including “failure” investigation; and inspection preparation and response. The course will consist of topical presentations followed by group discussions aimed at facilitating application of presented strategies to attendees’ individual programs and providing a platform to capitalize on attendees’ collective experience.

November 9-13: This course is tailored for individuals responsible for establishing and overseeing infectious substance shipping programs within their facilities. This webinar series aims to assist institutions in developing robust shipping programs tailored to their needs. Course elements include: training; written policies; written descriptions of program plans; transport and shipping specific SOPs; safety and security plans; emergency response plans; logistics and supplies; carrier selection and support; MOUs and authorizations; access control and personnel assurance. The instructor will provide a detailed and comprehensive shipping program assessment and implementation guidance document. Attendees will receive an introduction to this document and step-by-step guidance on its completion. By completing the assessment document, attendees will conduct a thorough review to identify areas for improving existing shipping programs. This interactive, instructor led, web-based training will invite attendees to share examples of how these elements are addressed at their own institution.

November 19: High-containment laboratories play a critical role in public health preparedness, infectious disease research, and diagnostic response. However, constructing a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory is only the first step; ensuring it is safe, sustainable, and compliant in operation presents significant technical, operational, and organizational challenges. Many institutions struggle with maintaining complex containment systems, implementing robust biosafety programs, and sustaining competent personnel and operational procedures over time. This course provides a practical framework for the operation, management, and sustainability of BSL-3 laboratories. Attendees will explore the operational components required to maintain high-containment facilities, including governance structures, risk management systems, operational procedures, infrastructure and engineering controls, preventive maintenance programs, and emergency preparedness strategies. Emphasis will be placed on integrating engineering controls, administrative controls, and biosafety practices into a coherent biorisk management approach aligned with international guidance and best practices. The course also examines common institutional challenges encountered in high-containment laboratories, including infrastructure failures, gaps in operational planning, insufficient maintenance strategies, and misalignment between laboratory design and operational capabilities. Attendees will learn how to evaluate these risks and implement practical solutions to improve laboratory performance and safety. Through case studies, operational examples, and scenario-based discussions, attendees will analyze real-world challenges related to the management of BSL-3 laboratories and explore strategies to strengthen institutional governance, improve operational resilience, and ensure sustainable laboratory performance.