The goals of a biological risk assessment include:
- Identifying hazards associated with handling pathogens in the lab.
- Identifying and implementing controls to minimize the risk of exposure to workers and the environment.
In a clinical lab, the focus of a risk assessment will primarily be on the prevention of laboratory-associated infections from:
- Spills/splashes to mucous membranes
- Inhalation of aerosols
- Percutaneous inoculation from cuts, needle sticks, non-intact skin
- Ingestion (e.g., contamination from surfaces, fomites to hands, etc.)
