Have you ever walked through a biological lab and seen so many disinfectants readily available that you questioned how the scientists could keep them straight?
When conducting risk assessments for biological material, the appropriate disinfectant for each agent must be considered. Disinfection procedures must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Biosafety Committee, or other company specific committee, and documentation of this review must be included in the meeting minutes. All users must be trained on the approved disinfection procedures.
Even when all of these requirements are followed, what happens when various agents are introduced into the lab over time? Several disinfectants that are effective for particular agents could be approved and introduced into the lab, leaving a scientist with a handful of options to select from when going to disinfect liquid waste for sink disposal.
Be sure to properly train all users on the established disinfection procedures. When walking through the labs, note if the disinfectants available are appropriate for the materials in use. Limit the storage of disinfectants to the respective use areas to avoid confusion and help scientists select the right disinfectant.