Biosafety laboratories : perimeter security assessment of the nation's five BSL-4 laboratories : report to congressional committees / United States Government Accountability Office.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

United States. Government Accountability Office

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Microbiological laboratories--Security measures--United States.

Microbiological laboratories.

Medical laboratories--Security measures--United States.

Medical laboratories.

Laboratories--Security measures--United States.

Laboratories.

Laboratories--Security measures.

United States.

Physical Description:

ii, 20 pages : digital, PDF file

Other Title:

Perimeter security assessment of the nation's five BSL-4 laboratories

Perimeter security assessment of BSL-4 labs

Place of Publication:

[Washington, D.C.] : U.S. Govt. Accountability Office, [2008]

Summary:

Biosafety labs under the U.S. Bioterrorism Act are primarily regulated and must be registered with either the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Select Agent Regulations. Currently, all operational biosafety level (BSL) 4 labs are registered with the CDC and thus are regulated by the CDC, not USDA. BSL-4 labs handle the world's most dangerous agents and diseases. In fact, of the four BSL designations, only BSL-4 labs can work with agents for which no cure or treatment exists. GAO was asked to perform a systematic security assessment of key perimeter security controls at the nation's five operational BSL-4 labs. To meet this objective, GAO performed a physical security assessment of the perimeter of each lab using a security survey it developed. GAO focused primarily on 15 physical security controls, based on GAO expertise and research of commonly accepted physical security principles.

Notes:

Title from title screen (viewed Oct. 16, 2008).

"September 2008."

Includes bibliographical references.

"GAO-08-1092."

OCLC:

262618992