Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)

Regulations

Hazardous Biological Agents Regulations

1. Definitions
Purchase cart Previous page Return to chapter overview Next page

 

In these Regulations any word or expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act shall have the meaning so assigned and, unless the context indicates otherwise -

 

"biological agent"

means any micro-organism, cell culture or human endoparasite, including any which have been genetically modified, which may cause an infection, allergy or toxicity, or otherwise create a hazard to human health;

 

"decontamination"

means to remove, as far as is reasonably practicable, all inanimate objects by way of sweeping, cleaning, washing, ventilating or any other process aimed at removing the contaminant;

 

"diagnostic laboratory"

means a workplace where diagnostic or other screening procedures are performed on blood or other potentially infectious materials;

 

"disinfect"

means to render non-viable virtually all recognised pathogenic micro-organisms, but not necessarily all microbial forms;

 

"engineering control measures"

means control measures that remove or reduce the exposure of persons at the workplace by means of engineering methods;

 

"Facilities Regulations’’

means the Facilities Regulations promulgated by Government Notice No. R. 2362 of 5 October 1990 under section 43 of the Act;

 

"General Administrative Regulations"

means the General Administrative Regulations promulgated by Government Notice No. R. 1449 of 6 September 1996 under section 43 of the Act;

 

"HBA"

means hazardous biological agents which are micro-organisms, including those that have been genetically modified, pathogens, cells, cell cultures and human endoparasites that have the potential to provoke an infection toxic effects, subdivided into the following groups -

a)Group I HBA are HBA that is unlikely to cause human disease;
b)Group 2 HBA are HBA that may cause human disease and be a hazard to exposed persons, which is unlikely to spread to the community and for which effective prophylaxis and treatment is usually available;
c)Group 3 HBA are HBA that may cause severe human disease, which presents a serious hazard to exposed persons and which may present a risk of spreading to the community, but for which effective prophylaxis and treatment is available;
d)Group 4 HBA are HBA that causes severe human disease and is a serious hazard to exposed persons and which may present a high risk of spreading to the community, but for which no effective prophylaxis and treatment is available.

 

"micro-organisms"

means microbiological entities, cellular or non-cellular, capable of replication or of transferring genetic material;

 

"monitoring"

means the planning and carrying out of the measurement programme and the recording of the results thereof;

 

"respiratory protective equipment"

means a device which is worn over at least the mouth and nose to prevent the inhalation of airborne hazardous biological agents, and which conforms to a standard, acceptable to the chief inspector:

 

"safety equipment"

means a contrivance or a device designed to as far as possible try and prevent injury;

 

"standard precautions"

means a synthesis of the major features of Universal Precautions (UP) and Body Substance Isolation (BSI) and applies to all persons coming into contact with potentially -infected persons, animals or animal products and potentially contaminated blood and other body fluids in health care facilities or elsewhere and -

a)apply to –
i)all blood;
ii)all body fluids, secretions and excretions, except sweat, regardless of whether they contain visible blood or not;
iii)non-intact skin;
iv)mucous membranes: and
v)tissues; and
b)are designed to reduce the risk of transmission of HBA from both recognised and unrecognised sources of infection in workplaces;

 

"The Act"

means the Occupational Health and Safety Act,1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)