Since the introduction of the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act, (HPTA) CSMLS has been working hard to determine the type and scope of biosafety educational materials needed, and how to get this to our members in the quickest way.

BIOSAFETY: The Human Pathogens and Toxins Act now available!

Assessing the Need:

The first step we took was to survey our members. We received a total of 693 responses from across Canada.

The results of this survey confirmed that there is a lack of information, requirements, education, certification and overall general understanding regarding the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act.

CSMLS then invited a team of subject matter experts in the field of biosafety to convene as an advisory board to obtain direction on what information and education should be provided. CSMLS also met with Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in September 2009, where it was confirmed that there is a need for education.

Designing the Course:

We are pleased to announce Karin Cassidy as the author of our new biosafety course. Karin has been the Safety Manager of the Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University for the past 20 years. In the late 1980s she initiated the biosafety program at McMaster, a program which currently encompasses 125 labs and BSL levels 1 through 3. Program development, training and auditing are the core of the program which is guided by the regulations of PHAC, CFIA and the TriCouncil for research funding.

The biosafety course will be two modules. Module one which is eight hours in length will be available as of January 1, 2010 and module two by March 1, 2010. Both modules will be offered online.

Biosafety Course Description

This training program will prepare newly appointed biosafety officers for implementation of the HPTA in the workplace. Effective September 21, 2009 the HPTA required registration of all organizations to which this act applies.

The purpose of module one is to familiarize officers with the The Human Pathogens and Toxins Act and other related legislation and guidelines. In addition they will:

• Learn about their existing biosafety implementation within their organization.

• Conduct reviews typical for a biosafety officer.

• Create an implementation plan based on the needs of their organization.

The instructor will guide them through unfamiliar territory by forum discussion support. Formal assignments will be posted on the forum, to guide them through the review process.

Next steps:

The second module will look at specific implementation such as approval process, forms, training initiatives, lab audits, lab design suggestions and review processes. As new regulations are passed in the next few years, these modules will be updated to remain current with developing legislation.

Member Survey Results:

In which province or territory do you work?

Alberta	British Columbia	Manitoba	New Brunswick	Newfoundland and Labrador
13.9% (96)	19.6% (136)	10.4% (72)	4.6% (32)	3.9% (27)

Nova Scotia	Ontario	Prince Edward Island	Quebec	Saskatchewan	Territories
6.2% (43)	32.0% (222)	2.2% (15)	2.6% (18)	3.3% (23)	1.3% (9)

How many years of experience do you have working in a clinical laboratory? Less than 5 (13%) 6-10 years (10%) 11-15 years (5%) Over 15 years (69%)

What is your level of interest in becoming a Certified Clinical Laboratory Biosafety Officer? – Very interested (19%) Somewhat interested (48%) Not Interested (31%)

Would having a certification in biosafety be important/required for your laboratory? Yes (39%) No (18%) Not sure (42%)
Have you taken any specific courses in biosafety? No (86%) Yes (13%)

If you were to take a course in biosafety, which type of course would you prefer? Mail based – correspondence (16%) Online/webinar (50%) Classroom/seminar/laboratory (8%) Blended learning (combination) (24%)

How important do you think it would be to have a hands-on laboratory component for a biosafety certification course? Essential (33%) Would be useful (56%) Not important (10%)

How long do you think a biosafety certification course should be? 1 day (21%) 2 days (42%) 3 days (17%) 4 days (18.6%)

If the certificate program were classroom/workshop based, which days would be most convenient for you? Weekdays (35%) Weekends (23%) Combination of weekdays and weekends (41%)

If you have a question or require further information, please contact the Director of Educational Development.