Biohazard

Biohazard biohazards or biological hazards are biological substances, ie, microorganisms, spores, toxins, and parasites that pose a potential threat and adversely affect human health or other animals. Biohazard can be natural, bioengineered, or synthesized. Additionally, biohazard encompasses other substances like medical-pathological samples of body tissues, organs from surgical and autopsy procedures, or fluid from biological sources that may contain microorganisms, toxins, allergens, etc. Biohazards usually adversely affect health through direct contact with blood and other body fluids like urine or transmitted through vectors. It can also be transmitted via indirect ways like surface contact, ingestion of food and water, or droplets in the air. It indirectly causes a significant impact on the environment and community. Biohazard can be classified into three categories based on the type of agents: Infectious agents (bacteria, virus, and fungi), plant and plant products (irritant, allergens, poisons), and animals that cause zoonosis. Based on the risk, biohazards are categorized into four groups from risk group (RG) 1 to 4, where RG1 has minimal, but RG4 poses an extreme risk. According to ISO regulation, biohazard symbols, in general, be in black on a green, yellow, orange, and red background to mark notice (innocuous) sign, caution (injury but no death) sign, warn (may cause death) sign and danger (cause death) sign respectively. A specific UN number is used to classify category A or B biohazardous agents based on their potential risk for transportation purposes. Biohazard waste contains infectious materials and can be originated from any healthcare facility, research and diagnostics laboratories, or veterinary clinic. These wastes include solids (organ, tissue, plastic wares, PPE), liquids (blood, fluid, urine), sharps (needle, scalpel, broken glass), and cultured organisms. These biohazard wastes are potential sources of biohazards; therefore, proper waste management is necessary by using different hazard control measures and good practices, techniques, and safety equipment to prevent personal, laboratory, and environmental exposure to biohazards. [Md. Rakibul Islam]