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Biological factors

Biological factors are microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and microscopic parasites), cell cultures, endoparasites, and components from microorganisms that can cause health damage to humans.

About biological factors

Biological factors are found everywhere and often as part of biological material. They are present in laboratories, industries, during patient contact, in handling patient samples, work with laboratory animals and fish, waste sorting, from infected needles, and in indoor air quality, to name a few. Most are harmless and necessary, but many microorganisms can still cause health damage, illness, and allergies.

Health hazard

Biological factors can pose a risk to the health of workers and students. There are various ways one can be exposed to biological factors. Exposure can occur through inhalation, through the skin (needle sticks, open wounds), via mucous membranes, by swallowing, and through insects or pests. The severity of the exposure depends on the type of exposure, the amount of infectious agent, and the specific biological factors present.

Classification

A distinction is made between infectious and non-infectious biological factors. Infectious biological factors can cause infectious diseases, while non-infectious biological factors can cause other health issues.

Infectious biological factors are classified into four risk groups based on the level of infection hazard they represent.

Employer's labeling duty

UiA shall ensure that rooms where biological material is stored or used in work are labeled with hazard signs. Containers and packaging for biological material/biological factors used or stored in the workplace must be properly labeled in Norwegian with name, content, and warnings. In special cases, the warning may be omitted.

How to prevent health damage from biological factors

Before the procurement and use of biological factors, UiA shall map, assess risks, and implement measures to reduce or prevent exposure to biological factors. The working environment at UiA, when handling biological material, shall be arranged so that workers and students are protected against accidents, health hazards, and significant discomfort.

Biological material that may pose a health risk shall not be used if it can be replaced with other materials or processes that are less hazardous to workers and students.

Training and information

Employees and students must be informed about the risks associated with the use of biological factors at UiA.

UiA shall ensure that employees, students, and safety representatives receive training and ongoing information about:

Biological factors present or potentially present in the workplace, and the risks they pose to the health of employees and students
Use of the material database (stoffkartoteket), the conducted risk assessments, and any significant changes to these
Measures to prevent and reduce exposure, including the required containment levels
Necessary protective measures and hygiene requirements for safe work execution
Information on the risk of infection from biological factors when handling sharp or pointed objects
Handling accidents or emergency situations that may arise

The need for training and information shall be continuously assessed, especially when biological factors or biological materials are introduced in new projects.

Employees and students have both the right and obligation to participate in occupational health and safety work aimed at preventing health damage from biological factors.

Register of employees exposed to particularly hazardous biological factors

Work involving certain types of harmful substances, radiation, and biological factors requires UiA to maintain a register of employees' and students' exposure to these substances. This is regulated in the regulations on the execution of work, chapter 31. Employees and students must cooperate in recording their exposure when working with these substances.