United States Government Safety Stand-Down

Many of us probably received an email from APHIS this morning.

The Presidents advisors have declared a “Safety Stand-Down” for those “that possess, use, or transfer human, animal, or plant infectious agents or toxins”. What this means for Federal Departments and Agencies and those institutions that receive federal funds is that the government encourages Safety Stand-Down activities including:

  • Sweep areas used to store human, animal or plant infectious agents or toxins, especially areas containing historical collections to ensure that no unregistered BSAT are present;
  • Review procedures for biosafety, biosecurity, and inventory management;
  • Brainstorm activities with laboratory leadership and employees to enhance the facility biosafety culture;
  • Conduct facility biosafety training sessions; and
  • Complete safety assessments or mock emergency response activities.

You can find a White House memorandum to senior staff here.

A memorandum from NIFA Director can be found here.

 

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