Editing Biosafety (section)

====United States Code of Federal Regulations====

The United States [[Code of Federal Regulations]] is the [[codification (law)]], or collection of laws specific to a specific to a [[jurisdiction]] that represent broad areas subject to federal regulation.<ref>{{cite web|title=FDsys - Browse Code of Federal Regulations (Annual Edition)|url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionCfr.action?collectionCode=CFR|access-date=October 18, 2016|archive-date=October 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024052039/https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionCfr.action?collectionCode=CFR|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations]] addresses laws concerning Public Health issues including biosafety which can be found under the citation 42 CFR 73 to 42 CFR 73.21 by accessing the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) website.<ref name=E-CFR>{{cite web|title=E-CFR: TITLE 42—Public Health. Vol TITLE 42—Public Health|url=http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=868d2d34fe582976da6e893468fa7eb6&pitd=20150101&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title42/42cfr73_main_02.tpl|access-date=October 18, 2016}}</ref>
[[File:International Biohazard Warning Symbol.svg|thumb|International Biohazard Warning Symbol]]
Title 42 Section 73 of the CFR addresses specific aspects of biosafety including [[occupational safety and health]], transportation of biohazardous materials and safety plans for laboratories using potential biohazards. While [[biocontainment]], as defined in the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories<ref name=CDCbiosafety>{{cite web|title=Biosafety Publications and Forms|publisher=CDC|url=https://www.cdc.gov/biosafety/publications/index.htm|access-date=October 18, 2016|archive-date=October 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009062830/http://www.cdc.gov/biosafety/publications/index.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and Primary Containment for Biohazards: Selection, Installation and Use of Biosafety Cabinets<ref name=CDCbiosafety /> manuals available at the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] website much of the design, implementation and monitoring of protocols are left up to state and local authorities.<ref name=E-CFR />
 
The United States CFR states  "An individual or entity required to register [as a user of biological agents] must develop and implement a written biosafety plan that is commensurate with the risk of the select agent or toxin"<ref name=E-CFR /> which is followed by three recommended sources for laboratory reference:

#The CDC/NIH publication, "Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories."<ref name=E-CFR />
#The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations in 29 CFR parts 1910.1200 and 1910.1450.<ref name=E-CFR />
#The "NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules" (NIH Guidelines).<ref name=E-CFR />

While clearly the needs of [[biocontainment]] and biosafety measures vary across government, academic and private industry laboratories, [[biological agents]] pose similar risks independent of their locale.<ref name=TIAN2014>Tian D, Zheng T. Comparison and Analysis of Biological Agent Category Lists Based On Biosafety and Biodefense. PLoS One. 2014;9(6). {{doi|10.1371/journal.pone.0101163}}.</ref>  Laws relating to biosafety are not easily accessible and there are few federal regulations that are readily available for a potential trainee to reference outside of the publications recommended in 42 CFR 73.12.<ref name=E-CFR /><ref name=CDCbiosafety /> Therefore, training is the responsibility of lab employers<ref name=E-CFR /> and is not consistent across various laboratory types thereby increasing the risk of accidental release of [[biological hazards]] that pose serious health threats to the humans, animals and the [[ecosystem]] as a whole.