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Biosafety and biosecurity for pathogens and toxins news: Q1, May 2024 issue

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Online learning opportunities

The Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Training Portal was updated on April 15, 2024. It’s now easier to find relevant courses. The portal is also faster, mobile friendly and fully accessible.

For questions or feedback, please email trainingandlearning-formationetapprentissage@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

Previous webinars

On February 29, 2024, the Centre for Biosecurity (CB) held a 60-minute webinar entitled “Biocontainment considerations: Systems and equipment”. The goal of the webinar was to explore the system considerations that guide the selection process for safe and efficient laboratory operation. The presentation included considerations such as:

On March 21, 2024, CB held a webinar entitled “Plan for administrative oversight (the Plan) for scientific research involving human pathogens and toxins”. The presentation was an overview of:

On April 16, 2024, CB held a webinar entitled “Developing a training plan”. The goal of the webinar was to bring more clarity to section 4.2 of the Canadian Biosafety Standard, Third edition (CBS3). The presentation included:

Access webinar recordings through the PHAC training portal.

Upcoming webinars

CB is pleased to offer the following webinars for stakeholders and regulated parties:

We’ll send an email to subscribers once registration is open.

Updated e-learning courses

The following e-learning courses have been updated in the PHAC training portal:

The new Roles and responsibilities under HPTA (video series) has recently been added to the portal.

E-learning courses are open to everyone. You can create a free account on the PHAC training portal. You can also print and share certificates with managers or supervisors as proof of completion. If you retake a course, you’ll receive a new certificate with an updated course completion date.

Accurate profile information in the biosecurity portal

CB’s biosecurity portal is a centralized electronic system where you can:

You can access the biosecurity portal if you’re a:

As part of the registration process, you’ll provide information about your organization. Not all fields are mandatory, but by completing them you provide a more complete representation of your organization and interests.

The "sector" field is mandatory and you must select the sector that best represents your industry in the context of what you do with pathogens (for example, you can be a manufacturer of a product but only do quality control with pathogens). There are 8 options under ‘principal area of focus’ including research, diagnostic and manufacturing. You can select multiple options.

The field for “type of information to receive” allows you to select the CB products you wish to receive by email, such as:

To comply with Canada’s anti-spam legislation, we’ll only send you email updates about topics you subscribe to. Update your profile in the biosecurity portal to continue receiving information of interest.

We use the information submitted through the biosecurity portal to guide our engagement activities. You must provide accurate information when you register and update it regularly to ensure that it remains accurate and current.

As a reminder, we introduced a new condition of licence which requires the LH to keep current contact details for people associated with the licence. For more information, please see the article in our February issue.

Roles and responsibilities of people associated with a pathogen and toxin licence

We created a flyer to clarify the roles and responsibilities of individuals associated with a pathogen and toxin licence. The flyer has separate sections for:

You can post the relevant section of the flyer to the wall of your laboratory or office as a handy reference.

To get a copy of the flyer, visit Roles and responsibilities of individuals associated to a pathogen and toxin licence.

Updated guideline for Containment Level 1: Physical Design and Operational Practices

PHAC and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have revised the Containment Level 1 (CL1) guideline to align with the CBS3, which came into effect on April 1, 2023. The updated CL1 guideline was published on April 18, 2024. 

The CL1 guideline outlines risk-based recommendations and best practices for facilities where Risk Group 1 (RG1) biological material is handled. Since CL1 facilities often fall outside the regulatory scope of the CBS3, this update helps stakeholders follow current biosafety and biosecurity practices. RG1 biological material can sometimes cause infection, such as in people with a compromised immune system.  

The CL1 guideline now also includes:  

For questions about the updated CL1 guideline, please email pathogens.pathogenes@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

Changes to the HPTA security clearance application process

CB updated its policy for HPTA security clearance applications. As of January 1, 2024, new applicants must submit a copy of:

For more information on the HPTA security clearance process:

Incident risk mitigation

Laboratory Incident Notification Canada (LINC) collects and processes incident reports from licensed facilities conducting controlled activities under the HPTA.

Many follow-up reports to incidents reported in 2023 demonstrated that applying risk mitigation strategies minimizes the chances of reoccurrence.

For example, an incident that occurred during a routine laboratory procedure illustrated the importance of biosafety protocols and emergency response planning.

The incident involved a small spill of a RG3 pathogen in a CL3 laboratory and a potential exposure. The technician immediately contained the pathogen and decontaminated the area according to the laboratory's procedures. They immediately reported the incident to a supervisor, who took steps to reduce risks and protect the safety of personnel. Although 4 other people were potentially exposed during the incident, the risk of infection was low as they were all wearing proper personal protective equipment. They received immediate medical consultation in accordance with the laboratory’s emergency response plan and incident response protocol. As required, they quickly reported the incident to PHAC, who reviewed it to assess the risks.

After this incident, laboratory safety management implemented dedicated spill response training. They recognized that ongoing safety training is crucial for all personnel to be prepared for any situation that may arise. While the possibility of another spill can’t be eliminated, they continue to prepare staff members to handle similar future situations. 

This echoes a core principle in laboratory safety: the focus on continuous learning and improvement. By learning from such incidents, laboratories can be better prepared. This can benefit their staff and help set a standard for the wider scientific community. Inspectors can offer guidance on possible mitigation strategies and actions to prevent future incidents.

LINC’s review of reported incidents revealed the importance of another common risk mitigation strategy. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) can be modified following incidents to minimize hazards or to add steps to improve biosafety.

These reported incidents show that exposures to human pathogens and toxins can be minimized with the following supports:

For additional guidance, refer to the CBS3 and the Notification and Reporting Under the HPTA and HPTR guideline.

For question related to incident reporting, email biosafety.biosecurite@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

RegFacts: #DYK: Pathogen and toxin licences are valid for a specific maximum period

Did you know that pathogen and toxin licences are only valid for a specific period of time?

Under the Human Pathogens and Toxins Regulations (HPTR) subsection 2(2), depending on the type of pathogens and toxins you’re working with, the maximum period in which your licence is valid is:

The period is determined at the outset of the licence period according to the following factors outlined in HPTR subsection 2(1):

Pathogen and toxin licences are subject to various conditions, including:

If you have questions regarding the licensing program, please email licence.permis@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

For more information on RG classifications, Acts, Regulations and standards related to pathogen and toxin licences:

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2024-05-29