Introduction to the Four Levels of Biohazards

When it comes to cleaning, there are things that some of us will never come in contact with. Most people will go their entire life without having to clean up any biohazard, for some, this is a common daily event. There are four different levels of biohazard, and taking the time to learn a bit about it can help you determine what sort of cleaning needs to be done.

What Are the Biohazard Levels?

There are four different levels of biohazard, they are BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-3, and BSL-4. They go from least hazardous to most hazardous, and each has a specific means of handling and disposal. BSL-1 is the first, it is used to handle things like agents that are known to cause disease and disposal is rather simple. BSL-2 is used for those that are dealing with moderately infectious agents or things that are toxic. They require a locked bin, handwashing, and decontamination.

BSL-3 refers to agents that can be transferred through the air and that are very contagious. For this type of hazard, labs must have automatically closing doors, must be disposed of in an incinerator, and must be very well guarded. For the most serious of hazards, BSL-4 refers to very serious and very high-risk agents. These labs are very well controlled and very seriously guarded.

What Happens if Exposed to a Biohazard?

The first thing that you need to do if you are exposed to any sort of biohazard is to identify the type of hazard that you have been exposed to. This is going to be the best way to ensure that you are able to handle the hazard and that you are going to know the appropriate method of mitigation. You then need to make sure that you wash up. If you have cuts, abrasions or any open wounds, you need to clean them out as well as you can.

You should then report the incident to emergency medical services so that you can get the proper medical care. You may need to go to the hospital, or you may need to get additional medical care to ensure that the risk is mitigated and that you are not going to become seriously ill.

With any biohazard, you are likely going to be safe if you do take the time to get the proper medical care immediately. In most cases, you are not going to be able to access any biohazard over BSL-1 unless you are working in a lab. If you are working in a lab, there are going to be safety procedures in place to protect you.  

Categorised in: Biohazard Consulting

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