This course is an introduction to decontamination which will look at definitions and key principles of decontamination, provide an overview of the disinfection products and decontamination technologies available, and examine the importance of validation and efficacy testing. The course will give learners an understanding of the principles of sterilization, disinfection and decontamination.
This course is intended for people working in laboratories / laboratory personnel, those involved in designing or managing containment facilities, biosafety professionals, or those with an interest in biosafety.
After completing this course, learners will be able to:
•define and identify differences between decontamination, disinfection, sterilization, sanitization, and cleaning
•identify the various decontamination categories
•understand the key components of the decontamination process
•understand the importance of validation.
This course will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
This course presents three categories of decontamination techniques. The first looks at thermal decontamination techniques including steam sterilization, incineration, and liquid effluent decontamination. The second examines chemical decontamination techniques, namely alkaline hydrolysis. The third section looks at other types of decontamination, specifically irradiation, microwave, and plasma.
This course is intended for people working in laboratories / laboratory personnel, those involved in designing or managing containment facilities, biosafety professionals, or those with an interest in biosafety.
After completing this course, learners will be able to:
•describe thermal decontamination technologies
•describe chemical decontamination technologies
•describe other types of decontamination technologies.
This course will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
There are various decontamination technologies available. However for everyday laboratory purposes, autoclaving is the most common method. This course focuses on autoclaves, how they work, proper operational practices, and the importance of efficiency testing and validation. An overview of the other decontamination technologies is covered in a separate course.
This course is intended for people working in laboratories / laboratory personnel, those involved in designing or managing containment facilities, biosafety professionals, or those with an interest in biosafety.
After completing this course, learners will be able to:
•explain how an autoclave works
•describe safe use of autoclaves
•state the importance of efficiency testing and validation
This course will take approximately 45-60 minutes to complete.
Course updated in May 2023.
This course provides information on the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of specific chemical disinfectants.
This course is intended for people working in laboratories / laboratory personnel, those involved in designing or managing containment facilities, biosafety professionals, or those with an interest in biosafety.
After completing this course, learners will be able to:
• identify the types of chemical disinfectants and their key characteristics
• identify considerations when selecting a chemical disinfectant
This course will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
This is the first course in the Waste Management series. In this course, the term “biomedical waste” is defined and the types of waste are identified. This course provides an introduction to biomedical waste, introducing concepts and information which is required in the second course, in which we take a look at the elements of a waste management program.
This course is intended for people working in laboratories / laboratory personnel, those involved in designing or managing containment facilities, biosafety professionals, or those with an interest in biosafety.
After completing this course, learners will be able to:
•define hazardous waste and biomedical waste
•identify types of biomedical waste and the hazards posed by biomedical waste
• state responsibilities regarding biomedical waste
This course will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
This is the second course in the Waste Management series. In this course, the elements required for an effective biomedical waste management program are examined.
This course is intended for people working in laboratories / laboratory personnel, those involved in designing or managing containment facilities, biosafety professionals, or those with an interest in biosafety.
After completing this course, learners will be able to:
• define a waste management program and its purpose
• list the main elements of a biomedical waste management program
• describe segregation, packaging and labelling guidelines for biomedical waste
• describe transportation, storage, and holding guidelines for biomedical waste
• list special waste management considerations for cytotoxic waste
• explain the importance of record keeping, regulations, contingency plans, and training related to biomedical waste management program
This course will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
Course updated in July 2023.