Biological Safety/Security

The Safety, Security and Environment office works together with department heads and biosafety officers to organize the measures needed to ensure biological safety and security. The office supports academic departments and central services at UZH in all matters related to biosafety and helps departments submit planning permission applications for construction measures.

The office also works together with federal and cantonal authorities on biological safety issues.

In the event of an incident, the on-duty safety officer has the authority to issue instructions to internal and external bodies in accordance with the security regulations. This applies until a person with higher authority to issue instructions arrives on the scene (UZH crisis management, military personnel).

Safety, Security and Environment has worked together with the company Küng-Biotech + Umwelt and the safety officer from the Brain Research Institute to create a template for a safety concept in compliance with the Containment Ordinance (ESV) and the Ordinance on the Protection of Workers from Exposure to Microorganisms (SAMV).   

The template can be used to create a safety concept for laboratories at the University of Zurich in accordance with the ESV and SAMV.

Biosafety concept according to ESV und SAMV

Annexes according to the BAFU template (ZIP file with all documents) (ZIP, 452 KB):

A01_Duties_Biosafety

A02_List of employees

A03_Emergency contacts Organizational issues

A04_Laboratory incidents _Procedure

A05_Laboratory incidents_Report sheet

A06_Project list

A07_Rules on access_Level 2

A08_Meaning of the Biohazard warning sign

A09_Laboratory rules

A10_Safety cabinet_Class 2

A11_Measures for dealing with blood

A12_Disinfection and cleaning

A13_Sicherheit Reinigungspersonal

A14_Disposal plan for biologically contaminated waste

A15_Service plan for laboratory equipment

There is no standardized template for laboratories in this category. The Safety, Security and Environment team would be happy to advise you and also provide the main documents via email. 

The safety plan includes references to varilous fact sheets and forms. Some of these can be obtained from the Department of Safety and Environment as Word files.

The SUVA checklist assists you in determining whether the health protection of employees is ensured in your company when handling microorganisms in closed systems such as laboratories and animal facilities.

MB B1 Tasks, authority levels and responsibilities for biosafety officers (BSO) (PDF, 138 KB)

MB B2 Tasks, authority levels and responsibilities for lab and project leaders (PI) (PDF, 133 KB)

Maternity Protection

Fact sheets 9a and 9b define the measures to be taken by the sender, transporter and recipient to ensure that rodents are transported and shipped in compliance with the law.

MB B9a Shipping/transport of genetically modified rodents

MB 9b Transportation/shipping of rodents infected with pathogenic organisms