High risk research
Biosafety Level Category 3 (Cat III, BSL-3) covers highly regulated containment areas that could be working with harmful human diseases, viruses and bacteria that would cause a serious health and safety hazard. Waste from these facilities is potentially hazardous and could contain pathogens that are harmful, meaning effective sterilization is required before anything is discarded.
Examples of microbes worked with in a BSL-3 regulated environment include; botulism, yellow fever, and the bacteria that causes tuberculosis.
In certain circumstances a double-door (or ‘pass-through') autoclave may be desirable whereby the loading (‘dirty’ or non-sterile) end is often separated from the unloading (‘clean’ or sterile) end by a wall, which often contains an SPF seal (Bio seal) to prevent bacteriological migration.
In BSL-3 laboratories an effluent retention system would also be a requirement, which would include a bacteriological HEPA filter on the exhaust, preventing dangerous pathogens from entering the atmosphere.
