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Curtin University
Health & Safety

Training and Guidelines

Microbiological safety and containment Standard

The Australian/New Zealand Standard 2243.3:2010 Safety in laboratories Part 3: Microbiological safety and containment is your first source of information about biosafety and microbiological lab safety. It’s the Standard that Australia uses to describe the management of biohazards of all kinds. All Curtin’s biosafety systems have been developed from this Standard, and you should always refer to it for guidance.

Curtin students and staff have access to the Standard through Curtin Library’s SAI Global account. Search for ‘2243.3:2010’ to get the Standard. Your downloaded copy of the Standard will self-erase after a couple of days, and you’ll need to go back to SAI Global to get another copy each time you need it.

The Biosafety Manual [.docx – 68kB] details the biosafety systems you need to comply with at Curtin if you want to work with genetically modified organisms, quarantined materials, microorganisms in Risk Groups 2 and 3, tissues or body fluids from humans or animals, or any living creatures that could harm you while you study them, or damage local ecosystems.

If you work with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), or within a research facility Certified by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR), you need to complete the compulsory Gene Technology Awareness Training course online.

Purchase the Approved Arrangements for Accredited Persons (Classes 1 to 8) online training course from the Department of Agriculture. The training is mandatory for the Responsible Persons who manage Approved Arrangement quarantine facilities, and for holders of Import Permits.

There are various free training courses available online from non-Curtin sources:

  • The American Biological Safety Association has four videos about animal biosafety.
  • The Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory has a video about working safely in a Class II Biological Safety Cabinet.
  • The World Health Organisation has eleven videos about biosafety.

    There are also various purchasable training courses available online from non-Curtin sources:

  • The Association of Biosafety for Australia and New Zealand (ABSANZ) has several training courses about biosafety.