Protection from work-related hazards caused by bacteria, viruses, and other biological agents
Employees can be affected in various ways by biological hazards. The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin, BAuA) contributes to the formulation of technical rules for activities involving biological agents. It also develops new measurement methodologies and researches health risks and appropriate protective measures.
Essentially, a risk is present as soon as an activity requires the handling of biological agents, for instance in laboratories, the healthcare sector, veterinary facilities, or the waste management industry.
Natural outbreaks of infectious diseases, sometimes on a pandemic scale, can raise the risk of infection among employees performing many different kinds of activity as well. Other biological agents may not be infectious, but can trigger sensitising or toxic reactions.
Lessons learnt in Germany from the COVID-19 pandemic from an occupational safety and health perspective
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the world of work and society - and showed how decisive it is to have well-integrated occupational safety and health (OSH) provision in place. The baua: Report Lessons learnt in Germany from the COVID-19 pandemic from an occupational safety and health perspective was compiled for a project initiated by the PEROSH European research network. It pulls together the experience gained in Germany and situates that experience in a European context. On the basis of a literature review, the report shows how public agencies, companies, and OSH actors in Germany responded to the crisis with hygiene and protective measures, digitalisation, home office arrangements, and new forms of cooperation. The results emphasise the significance of prevention, cooperation, and adaptability - key preconditions if society is to be better prepared for future health crises.
In order to ensure employees working with biological agents benefit from cutting-edge protection, our experts on the Committee on Biological Agents (Ausschuss für Biologische Arbeitsstoffe, ABAS) help keep the Technical Rules for Biological Agents (Technische Regeln für Biologische Arbeitsstoffe, TRBAs) up to date. Researchers at BAuA develop new measurement methodologies and assessment tools. Furthermore, they conduct systematic field research into bioaerosols in the workplace with the aim of preventing airborne transmission. And BAuA is preparing for future pandemics by researching both work-related infection risks and suitable protective measures.
It is hoped the results will enable organisations to correctly assess the risks to their employees from biological agents and infectious diseases, then take suitable protective measures, putting in place appropriate plans and precautions for every eventuality.
Project numberF 2584StatusOngoing Project
Consideration of humans as a bioaerosol source for infection control in the workplace - Quantification of proteins in exhaled air
Project numberF 2545StatusCompleted Project
Work related investigation of the rate of SARS-CoV-2 infected and Post-COVID symptomatic people based on data of the health authorities in Thuringia
Project numberF 2509StatusCompleted Project
Relative quantification of proteins in cell culture system exposed to biological agents by mass spectrometry
Project numberF 2491StatusOngoing Project
Assessment and evaluation of the toxic potential of biological agents on the basis of respiratory tract-related in vitro models: Subproject II: Development of an exposure system for the assessment of volatile metabolites of biological agents
Project numberF 2426StatusCompleted Project
Molecular differentiation of living and dead biological agents and detection of the tenacity of airborne biological agents
Determination of inhalation exposure to biological agents in horticulture and landscaping and application of the risk concept according to the TRBA 400
Essay
2025
The complete article can be purchased at the website of the Journal "Gefahrstoffe", Volume 85, Issue 9/10, pp. 228-238: …
