Registered Biological Safety Professional (RBP)

General Criteria

Basic Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited college or university^1,2 with a Baccalaureate degree in a physical or biological science discipline, in one of the fields listed below. Other degrees must be reviewed for acceptability on a case-by-case basis, by the Credentialing Evaluation Board (CEB).
• The applicant must have a minimum equivalent of five years of professional biological safety experience acceptable to the CEB. One year-equivalency is based on full-time biosafety experience. Example: An applicant with 50% of their work focused on biosafety, will need two years of professional experience to yield one year-equivalent of biosafety experience.

Physical Science

Biological Science

Biosafety Experience
To qualify as acceptable biosafety experience, the applicant’s principal responsibility must be in the management and direction of a biosafety program. Although biosafety program management does not need to be the applicant’s only responsibility, the applicant must demonstrate they have met the minimum required equivalency in hands-on experience managing and implementing a biosafety program. The applicant must record each position held and the corresponding biosafety job responsibilities to demonstrate knowledge and experience working in the profession. The detailed description of duties must clearly align with the percentage of time that spent conducting biosafety responsibilities. Based on the evaluation of the narrative provided in the application, the Board reserves the right to adjust the percentage of time based on their evaluation.

The table below lists some examples of what a biorisk program may include.  Note: This is not a complete list of program elements.

Helpful Hints:

• If you list a part-time position, let the Board know the number of hours each week or what fraction of a full-time position this was. A year-equivalent is based on a full-time position.
• If you worked at two positions at the same time, define the percent of time spent at each position during the overlap. The Board will accept the equivalency of one full-time position (cannot exceed 100%).
• If you held a lab safety position, the Board would need a detailed explanation as to how you define “lab”. Being a designated safety person while doing research in the lab of a single researcher will result in the position being defined by the Board as a research position and give 10% credit. If a “lab” is a multi-researcher, multi-floor or building subcomponent of an institution, make sure you provide a credible case that you oversee a biosafety program.
• If the total sum of each position does not exceed 24 month-equivalents (for a Doctoral degree), 36 month-equivalents (for a Master’s degree) or 60 month-equivalents (for a Baccalaureate), your application will be denied.
• Be sure the overall percentage of time spent on biosafety matches the total percent calculated for each job.
• Complete each section thoroughly and do not submit a CV in lieu of this portion.

SUBSTITUTIONS OR MODIFICATIONS

Biological Safety Experience
In addition, professional biological safety experience may be supplemented and substituted with some laboratory experience gained through working with biohazards in a microbiology laboratory at a rate of 10% of the total time spent in the laboratory. For example, if an individual has worked for 5 years in a microbiology laboratory using biohazardous materials safely, 6 months of that time may be counted towards professional biological safety experience. Only experience gained through using or working with biological agents and materials may be counted.

Note: There is a cap on the amount of laboratory experience that may be substituted for biological work experience. No more than 50% of time needed to meet the requirement may be accumulated through using or working with biological agents and materials.

General Criteria

• An earned Doctoral degree in a relevant biological science (e.g., biology, microbiology, molecular biology, physiology, pathology) from an accredited college or university may be recognized in lieu of up to three years of the applicant’s required professional biological safety experience. Laboratory experience may be substituted for part of overall experience as noted above.
• A Master’s degree in a relevant biological science (e.g., biology, microbiology, molecular biology, physiology, pathology) from an accredited college or university may be recognized in lieu of two years of the applicant’s required professional biological safety experience. Laboratory experience may be substituted for part of overall experience as noted above.

Note: A Master’s in public health, safety policy, or management is unlikely to satisfy the modification of the criteria unless it has a direct application to biological safety.

Only one of the professional experience equivalents will be credited. Degrees must be completed at the time of application to be considered. If more than one professional experience equivalent is acceptable, the Board will apply the one that provides the most credit.

An applicant not meeting the academic requirements may, at the discretion of the Board, be permitted to substitute approved biological safety experience for each academic year deficient, per the guideline below.

Fellowship programs such as NBBTP, GLRCE, MRCE, etc. may be considered toward the biological safety experience requirement on a case-by-case basis.

Biological Safety Experience for Degree Requirement
Biological safety experience may be substituted for the basic academic requisite at the rate of two years (24 months) for each of the four years of the required academic degree.

If an individual does not have the requisite Baccalaureate degree, they may substitute 156 months of professional biosafety experience in lieu of the degree requirement (eight years for degree equivalency and five years additional for experience) to meet the general criteria for registration.

Request for Reconsideration
Requests for reconsideration following denial of the RBP must be submitted in writing to the Credential Evaluation Board (CEB). The applicant must respond to the reason for denial along with additional information requested by the Board. The applicant must provide specific information that will support the applicant’s claim and provide additional clarity for the Board to assess the request. The Board shall review the applicant’s credentials, clarifying information, and the reasons for rejection. Results of the reconsideration will be issued in writing to the applicant by the CEB.

Appeals Process
Any denial of credentials may be appealable by the applicant one time per application, as follows:

• If an applicant receives a denial of their application from the CEB, they may submit written notice to the CEB for reconsideration. If the applicant is not satisfied with the response, they may submit written notice to the ABSA President no later than 14 days after the date of the denial letter and request an appeal. An appeal is based on a factual and or procedural issue with regard to the review and denial. No other issues or matters shall be so appealable.
• The President shall refer the matter to the Council. They will be provided with the necessary information to conduct an appeal review. The review will take place during a Council meeting with a quorum of Council members present. The Council shall only consider the factual and or procedural issues stated with particularity in the written notice and no other issue or issues.
• If the Council confirms the denial, the decision is final, and no other appeal process shall be available to the applicant. If the denial is not confirmed, the Council shall remit the matter to the CEB with recommendations on addressing any factual or procedural issues, along with instructions to conduct a re-review. If the CEB again denies the applicant, the decision is final, and no further appeal is available.

Additional information and be obtained by emailing credentialing@absa.org.

Footnotes

1. Accredited college or university means accredited by one of the following: Western Association of Schools and Colleges; Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; New England Association of Schools and Colleges; North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges; or Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
2. For an applicant providing transcripts from a college or university outside the United States and Canada, verification of the degree(s) program report is required. Any evaluation company accepted by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is sufficient to evaluate academic credentials. Canadian transcripts must be provided in English.