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Environmental Health and Safety

Biological Safety Training

The Biosafety Office provides several biosafety training opportunities. Some training courses are offered in a classroom setting and others are available online.

Training Opportunities and Requirements

The following table includes a list of the current biosafety training courses available. Check the training schedule to see when the course is offered next. 

Course Name Required to Complete Training Frequency Course Offering
Biosafety Level 2 for Labs

Personnel working in a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) laboratory, and/or conducting experiments involving infectious agents, human-derived materials, biological toxins or other materials that may contain pathogens.

  • The PI or lab supervisor must also ensure personnel receive appropriate training and demonstrate proficiency before conducting BSL-2 experiments. The BSL-2 Lab Specific Training Guide [docx] can be used as a reference when conducting lab-specific training as a supplement to general BSL-2 training. Lab-specific training must be documented and records must be available upon request.
 2 Years In person. See  Schedule
Bloodborne Pathogens for Labs Laboratory personnel conducting experiments involving human-derived materials, such as human blood, body fluids, unfixed tissues, cell lines or other potentially infectious materials that may contain bloodborne pathogens. Annually Online (Login)
Use your university username and password to log in. 

For login issues, contact Sherika Smith 
NIH Guidelines for Principal Investigators

Principal Investigators of laboratories conducting research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules (r/s NA). 

  • The PI must ensure lab staff receive appropriate instruction and training regarding  the practices and techniques required to ensure safety, and the procedures for dealing with accidents for research involving r/s NA. PI training for lab staff must be documented and records must be available upon request.
 3 Years Online (Login)
Use your university username and password to log in. 

For login issues, contact Sherika Smith 
Shipping Biological Materials

Personnel shipping biological materials to locations outside the university, such as:

  • Category A Infectious Substances
  • Category B Infectious Substances
  • Exempt Patient Specimens
  • Genetically Modified Organisms
  • Dry Ice
 2 Years Online Shipping Training
Bloodborne Pathogens for Non-Laboratory Academic Programs Students required to complete Bloodborne Pathogens Training as a requirement for their academic program Determined by Academic Program

Contact Academic Program Coordinator

BBP Training Guidance [pdf]

Sample BBP Awareness Training [pptx]

 


Additional Biosafety Training Resources

USC Biological Spill Clean Up  (5 min. video)

ABSA Basic Biosafety Module (45 min. video)

ABSA Training: Working at Animal Biosafety Level 1 (10 min. video)

ABSA Training: Working at Animal Biosafety Level 2 (20 min. video)

ESCO Video: Safe Use of Biological Safety Cabinets

NBBT Program, NIH & Dartmouth: Autoclave Safety (10 min. video)

Training on Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern

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