2008 Woodie Awards
University updates lab safety protocol
By: Travis Measley
Issue date: 8/28/07 Section: News
After months of investigations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and re-evaluations of internal safety and technical laboratory procedures, Eddie J. Davis, interim President of Texas A&M, and A&M officials are beginning to implement preventative measures in response to student laboratory workers' exposure to bacteria-caused infectious diseases in April.
The CDC investigation originated from the Sunshine Project, a bioweapons watchdog group. Edward Hammond, director of the Sunshine Project, filed a request for accidents involving bioweapon agents at A&M in October 2006.
Sunshine Project reported the required government forms were filed April 11 - a year after the incident. Because of that, A&M may be fined $500,000, Hammond said, plus up to $250,000 for individuals who failed to report the incident. Criminal charges could also be filed, he said.
After uncovering the brucellosis and Q-fever cases, the CDC ordered Texas A&M to cease and desist any and all select agent research. They have since been meeting with campus officials to discuss the issues.
"CDC officials returned to meet with us in July," Davis said. "They came back for one final exit visit and were very appreciative of the cooperation that was given to them."
The University has taken steps toward improving all facets of laboratory research, safety and documentation. The recently vacated position of vice president of research has been filled on an interim basis by Jim Calvin, the associate vice president for research. The University is also searching for a full time safety officer.
A&M has also hired Claudia Mickelson, a bio safety expert from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as a consultant to the select agent research, monitoring their safety techniques and making sure all compliance issues are resolved. She will be teamed with Mike Shaub, an accounting professor in the Mays Business School.
"We want them to help us improve our actual documentation techniques to make sure we are always reporting what is required by Sarbanes-Oxley [Public Company Accounting Act] and the CDC," Davis said.
"We need to always be improving our safety procedures surrounding ongoing activity," Davis said. "Procedural issues need to be monitored closely, we need to pay attention to access credentials, clothing the workers are wearing, entry procedures, everything."
The incident occurred when the researcher was cleaning a chamber that contained aerosolized brucella by climbing partially into it, which A&M officials said was inappropriate lab protocol. A&M officials later concluded that the brucella bacteria likely entered her body via her eyes.
"The important thing we want the students and the community to know is that there was no outbreak, no exposure to the student body or the community," Davis said. "We are doing everything we can to improve every facet of our lab safety."
The CDC investigation originated from the Sunshine Project, a bioweapons watchdog group. Edward Hammond, director of the Sunshine Project, filed a request for accidents involving bioweapon agents at A&M in October 2006.
Sunshine Project reported the required government forms were filed April 11 - a year after the incident. Because of that, A&M may be fined $500,000, Hammond said, plus up to $250,000 for individuals who failed to report the incident. Criminal charges could also be filed, he said.
After uncovering the brucellosis and Q-fever cases, the CDC ordered Texas A&M to cease and desist any and all select agent research. They have since been meeting with campus officials to discuss the issues.
"CDC officials returned to meet with us in July," Davis said. "They came back for one final exit visit and were very appreciative of the cooperation that was given to them."
The University has taken steps toward improving all facets of laboratory research, safety and documentation. The recently vacated position of vice president of research has been filled on an interim basis by Jim Calvin, the associate vice president for research. The University is also searching for a full time safety officer.
A&M has also hired Claudia Mickelson, a bio safety expert from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as a consultant to the select agent research, monitoring their safety techniques and making sure all compliance issues are resolved. She will be teamed with Mike Shaub, an accounting professor in the Mays Business School.
"We want them to help us improve our actual documentation techniques to make sure we are always reporting what is required by Sarbanes-Oxley [Public Company Accounting Act] and the CDC," Davis said.
"We need to always be improving our safety procedures surrounding ongoing activity," Davis said. "Procedural issues need to be monitored closely, we need to pay attention to access credentials, clothing the workers are wearing, entry procedures, everything."
The incident occurred when the researcher was cleaning a chamber that contained aerosolized brucella by climbing partially into it, which A&M officials said was inappropriate lab protocol. A&M officials later concluded that the brucella bacteria likely entered her body via her eyes.
"The important thing we want the students and the community to know is that there was no outbreak, no exposure to the student body or the community," Davis said. "We are doing everything we can to improve every facet of our lab safety."
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