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Biorisk is the application of risk management in areas where the principal hazards is a biological agent. We provide risk management services to biological containment laboratories and other sectors working with potentially harmful biological organisms and their products.
Services & solutions
The main objective of DNV’s biorisk services is to strengthen our biorisk knowledge and networks while also developing biorisk specific methodologies and tools to help our customers effectively manage the biorisks within their organisation. At DNV, we use risk-based approach to identify the hazards and risk associated with biological agents and its products, and also ensure appropriate biorisk controls are identified and implemented in organisations wishing to operate their laboratories in safety and responsibly.
Facility risk assessment
Facility risk assessments have an enormous potential to improve the safety of a laboratory facility by recognising and eliminating potential problems at the design stage. A number of recognised approaches can be used and this includes SWIFT, HAZOP, AR&M and SIL studies.
Biorisk AR&M
AR&M (availability, reliability & maintainability) studies are used to compare alternative designs, maintenance approaches and operating strategies. A detailed understanding of the facility systems or processes is obtained by evaluating the main contributors to failure scenarios.
Training
DNV has designed a series of training courses to provide laboratory managers, biosafety personnel and scientific staff with the required skills and aptitudes necessary to effectively manage biorisk.
Biorisk Assessment: SIL Studies
DNV has developed a systematic approach to evaluate the safety integrity levels (SIL) required for safety related systems containment facilities, equipment and associated processes. The methodology can be applied at any stage of the design lifecycle and provides a practical way of demonstrating risk acceptability, including compliance with legislative requirements.
Biorisk HAZOP
HAZOP is a well known hazard identification technique that ensures comprehensive and systematic coverage of all the relevant areas in the initial design or change of a facility. During a HAZOP the review team searches the design, looking for process deviations and assessing their impact.
Laboratory task risk assessment
Accidents can occur when carrying out simple, daily tasks within the laboratory. Workers can face many hazards on a daily basis from chemicals, radioactivity, physical hazards (eg, trips hazards, heavy objects), electricity, and of course biological agents themselves. Task risk assessment is an essential part of biosafety management in the laboratory.
Laboratory commissioning & validation
Commissioning and validation provides assurance that all relevant measures in the specification have been incorporated into the finished facility.
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