Basic Requirements for Work with Biological Agents and Hazards

There are some basic university requirements for work with biological agents and hazards which are determined by the specific hazard group of the work. Please contact your safety coordinator if you need advice on biological COSHH risk assessments and controls.

Hazard Group 1

The possession or use of hazard group 1 biological agents and hazards is subject to the following requirements.

  1. Biological COSHH risk assessment
    A biological COSHH risk assessment is required for hazard group 1 biological agents and hazards. Complete the biological COSHH risk assessment form.
  2. Monitoring
    The PI must monitor the work to ensure that the controls are effective and used by all workers.
  3. Review
    Biological COSHH risk assessments must be reviewed and amended immediately where there are any changes to the activity or the risks.
  4. Records
    The PI must keep all biological COSHH risk assessments including all revised versions and other relevant records. Please keep electronic versions of all records.


Hazard Group 2

The possession or use of hazard group 2 biological agents and hazards is subject to the following requirements.

  1. Biological COSHH risk assessment
    A biological COSHH risk assessment is required for hazard group 2 biological agents and hazards. Complete the biological COSHH risk assessment form.
  2. Pathogen and toxin registration
    Hazard group 2 biological agents and hazards must be registered with the management unit and the Safety and Environmental Protection Service (SEPS) using the pathogen and toxin registration form. The registration of pathogens and toxins must be done before any biological agents or hazards are brought into the university.
  3. Monitoring
    The PI must monitor the work to ensure that the controls are effective and used by all workers.
  4. Review
    Biological COSHH risk assessments must be reviewed and amended immediately where there are any changes to the activity or the risks.
  5. Records
    The PI must keep all biological COSHH risk assessments including all revised versions and other relevant records. Please keep electronic versions of all records.


Hazard Group 3

The possession or use of hazard group 3 biological agents or hazards which contain hazard group 3 biological agents and the hazard group 2 agents Bordetella pertussis, Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Neisseria meningitidis or hazards which contain these hazard group 2 biological agents is subject to the following requirements.

  1. Biological COSHH risk assessment
    A biological COSHH risk assessment is required for hazard group 3 biological agents or hazards and the hazard group 2 agents Bordetella pertussis, Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Neisseria meningitidis or hazards. Complete a biological COSHH risk assessment form.
  2. Biological Safety Committee advice and permission
    Hazard group 3 biological agents or hazards and the hazard group 2 agents Bordetella pertussis, Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Neisseria meningitidis or hazards Biological COSHH risk assessments require permission from the Biological Safety Committee (BSC) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) before bringing any biological agents and hazards into the University or starting work. The principal investigator (PI) must complete and email the biological COSHH risk assessment form to the Safety Coordinator (SC) for submission to the BSC. The University Biological Safety Adviser (UBSA) should be contacted by the Safety Coordinator for advice on all notifiable biological COSHH risk assessments. The BSC will review and advise on the biological COSHH risk assessment and may request amendments. The PI must act on the advice and make the requested amendments. The BSC will provisionally approve satisfactory biological COSHH risk assessments. Approval will only be issued once HSE permission has been obtained.
  3. HSE notification and consent
    The biological COSHH risk assessments must be notified to the HSE. There is no HSE fee required for this type of notification. The Safety Coordinator will email an HSE CBA1 notification form to the PI. The Safety Coordinator will advise the PI on completion of the form. The Safety Coordinator will email the completed CBA1 form and the approved biological COSHH risk assessment to HSE. The HSE may request further information about the work or request changes to the risk assessment. The Safety Coordinator will inform the PI of all HSE requests and advice and issue the HSE approval once received and the BSC approval. The PI may then commence the work.
  4. Pathogen and toxin registration
    Hazard group 3 biological agents or hazards and the hazard group 2 agents Bordetella pertussis, Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Neisseria meningitidis or hazards must be registered with the management unit and the Safety and Environmental Protection Service (SEPS) using the pathogen and toxin registration form. The registration of pathogens and toxins must be done before any biological agents or hazards are brought into the university and they must not be acquired until the principal investigator has obtained HSE consent.
  5. Monitoring
    The PI must monitor the work to ensure that the controls are effective and used by all workers.
  6. Review
    Biological COSHH risk assessments must be reviewed and amended immediately where there are any changes to the activity or the risks. The University Biological Safety Adviser (UBSA) should be contacted by the Safety Coordinator for advice on all notifiable biological COSHH risk assessments. The BSC will approve satisfactory biological COSHH risk assessments. The BSC will notify any significant changes to the project or risks to HSE. There is no HSE fee required for this type of notification. The Safety Coordinator will inform the PI of all HSE requests and advice and issue the HSE approval once received and the BSC approval. The PI may then commence the work.
  7. Records
    The PI must keep all biological COSHH risk assessments including all revised versions and other relevant records. Please keep electronic versions of all records.


Hazard Group 4

The possession or use of hazard group 4 biological agents and hazards is prohibited in the University.


Biological Hazards

The possession or use of other biological hazards (eg human or animal cells and tissues, allergens, animals, plants, soils, organisms, toxins and biological products) is subject to the following requirements. Please note that you must follow the specific requirements for the relevant hazard group for those biological hazards which contain a biological agent in that hazard group.

  1. Biological COSHH risk assessment
    A biological COSHH risk assessment is required for other biological hazards. Complete a biological COSHH risk assessment form.
  2. Pathogen and toxin registration
    Relevant biological hazards must be registered with the management unit and the Safety and Environmental Protection Service (SEPS) using the pathogen and toxin registration form. The registration of pathogens and toxins must be done before any biological agents or hazards are brought into the university.
  3. Monitoring
    The PI must monitor the work to ensure that the controls are effective and used by all workers.
  4. Review
    Biological COSHH risk assessments must be reviewed and amended immediately where there are any changes to the activity or the risks.
  5. Records
    The PI must keep all biological COSHH risk assessments including all revised versions and other relevant records. Please keep electronic versions of all records.