Hazardous biological material is that which contains any genetically modified organisms, or any biological agents or multicellular organisms which can cause harm to people, animals or the environment.

To deal with the risks of potential exposure, you need to first define the contact you will have as either incidental or deliberate, then read the appropriate information.

My work:

• Involves ‘incidental’ contact with hazardous biological material. I do not intend to isolate, concentrate or propagate the hazardous biological materials. E.g. environmental sampling, handling human materials for an art exhibition, chemical analysis of blood, saliva or sewage samples.

• Is ‘deliberate’ – I will handle or manipulate hazardous biological materials themselves E.g. growing microorganisms, tisuue cultures, plant cell culture of GMOs in a research laboratory.

I’m not sure! – please speak to the University Biological Safety contacts to clarify as it not always easy to determine this.