Application Process

Acquisition of Biohazardous Materials

Biohazardous materials for rDNA or Biosafety Level 2 or 3 research activities may only be obtained under the authority of a Registered User. There are similar requirements for the acquisition of hazardous materials (see the MU Hazardous Materials Management Manual) and radioactive materials (see the MU Radiation Safety Manual).

Note : Select agents require special registration and tracking under the DHHS - Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). High consequence livestock pathogen or toxins and plant pathogens require special registration and tracking under the USDA - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The USA PATRIOT Act restricts possession and access of personnel to Select Agents, High Consequence Livestock Pathogens and Toxins and Plant Pathogens. A list of these agents is presented in Appendix M.

Becoming a Registered User

Principal Investigators and supervisors, who are responsible for laboratories, and other locations where biohazardous materials for rDNA or Biosafety Level 2 or higher research activities are used, must submit a Registered User Application Form and Biohazardous Material Application Form to EHS. Both forms and IBC approval are needed prior to purchasing, using, or storing those biohazardous materials. Proper completion of these forms provides EHS with information about the Registered User’ s name, location of work areas, and types of biohazardous materials used or stored at each location. If you have a Registered User number already assigned through the Hazardous Materials Management program, that number should be placed on the Biohazardous Material Application forms.

Purchases

When ordering biohazardous materials for rDNA or Biosafety Level 2 or 3 research activities, a Registered User number must be placed on University order forms. The Registered User number can be used by any person authorized by the Registered User. Because information on whether a material is biohazardous material (rDNA or Biosafety Level 2 or 3 research activities) may not be readily available, EHS encourages the campus community to use the Registered User number on all potential biohazardous material purchases. All suppliers of biohazardous materials that require campus safety authorization prior to initiating purchase should be referred to the EHS Biological Safety Professional.

The following list is a brief summary of the various methods of acquiring biohazardous materials:

• Fisher Scientific: Use normal procedures for purchasing biohazardous materials from this supplier.
• Purchase Requisition : Create PeopleSoft Purchase Requisition for purchase of biohazardous materials in amounts greater than $5,000 (without bid requirement) or $10,000 (with bid requirement). PeopleSoft Purchase Requisition can be used in lieu of University Credit Card for purchases of $5,000 or less.
• University Credit Card: Biohazardous materials may be purchased in amounts up to $2500 or $5000 per transaction depending on the charge card holders single purchase limit. Each purchase of biohazardous materials must be recorded on the credit card hazardous/biohazardous material log. Individuals must undergo training provided by Procurement/Materials Management to obtain a University credit card.

Gifts/Donations

For each gift or donation of biohazardous materials, a Gift Advice Form (UMUW Form 9 or 9A) must be completed. A gift or donation may consist of multiple containers of biohazardous materials. Do not accept gifts of biohazardous materials unless you have a use and IBC authorization for them. The donor must provide sufficient information about the donated materials to assess hazards and determine the proper disposal method. Proprietary materials do not need to be specifically identified as long as hazards can be assessed and the donor provides sufficient information in regard to disposal of the used material once MU research is completed.

Biohazardous Material Exemptions

Biological materials that do not need to be procured under the authority of a Registered User are Biosafety Level 1 research activities that do not involve rDNA work with propagation of less than 10 liters in volume. Examples of such materials are:

• Biosafety Level 1 research activities (except rDNA work) as defined in the “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories” (BMBL) (4 th Edition)
• Diagnostic and reference samples (Review for select agents and BSL-2 + activities).
• Student in vitro training that involve only BSL-1 classified agents, handling, and containment.

Although these biohazardous (biological) materials are exempted from the MU biohazardous materials purchasing policy, they must be properly stored, handled, and disposed. When exempt biohazardous (biological) materials become unwanted, the material must be properly decontaminated, inactivated or disposed of as biohazardous Unwanted Materials through EHS.

EHS discourages unnecessary stockpiling of biohazardous materials procured under the exemption.