Health surveillance

Activities taking place in laboratories that present a biological risk to humans, especially BSL-3 laboratories, require special attention from the medical section of the Health and Safety office, the Health Care Service (SAS). The SAS establishes the relevant protocols and carries out the health surveillance programme. To this end it must be informed in a timely, precise manner, of any changes or activities that might pose a health risk. The latter must be reported by the PI to the IBC as soon as possible, using the online form for experimental procedures with biological agents.

The biosafety officer must send the above information to the SAS, which will offer the personnel involved a health evaluation to ensure they are suited to the post. This offer, together with the person's consent or refusal, must be made in writing.

When effective, vaccination is an ideal preventive measure. The SAS (Servei Assistencial de Salut) offers it free of charge to UAB personnel, along with information on its advantages and disadvantages. This offer, together with the person's consent or refusal, must be made in writing.

Some recommended vaccines, depending on risks and previous immunity are as follows.

In some cases it may be necessary to take samples of serum at periodic intervals in order to determine the degree of immune response induced by the vaccine.

Exposure of pregnant women to certain BA may affect the normal development of the fetus. Therefore, women who are pregnant or intend to stay there must notify SAS in order to take the necessary preventive measures.

SAS offers confidential advice to any man or woman who is aged to have children and women at risk of pregnancy or postpartum working with pathogenic or potentially infectious materials which could affect reproduction.

The PI that normally work with such agents is responsible to inform new staff of these risks. In certain situations, we must assess the need for a change of place or offer other tasks that do not involve a risk of exposure to these agents.

Another situation is representing people who are in conditions of immunosuppression and therefore have a special sensitivity. So if you are in any of the conditions indicated above you should report it to SAS.

You can check the pathogen safety data sheets of BA for risk to reproduction in the guidelines published by the INSST "Directrices para la Evaluación de Riesgos y protección de la maternidad en el trabajo".