Biosafety Training

Required Training Courses

It is important to complete all required safety training courses prior to working in the laboratory. Training needs vary depending on what a person will work with in the lab. Use the training matrix below to determine what biosafety trainings you are required to complete.

View the Access Instructions here for links and instructions on how to enroll in and complete the required training courses.

Course Name (Format)Required if you...Renewal FrequencyExpected DurationLink
UWM Biosafety Training
(online self-paced)
work with biohazardous or recombinant materialsevery 3 years1.5-2 hoursEnrolll in UWM Biosafety Training
OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens
(online self-paced)
work with or may have exposure to human/primate blood, tissues, cell cultures, or other potentially infectious materialsevery year1 hourLog in to CITI
Shipping and Transport of Regulated Biological Materials
(online self-paced)
ship regulated biological materials or Exempt human/animal specimensevery 2 years0.5-1 hourLog in to CITI
Initial Animal Biosafety Level 2 (ABSL-2) Training
(Part 1: online self-paced;
Part 2: in-person)
will handle live animals requiring ABSL-2 containmentN/A (one-time initial training)1-1.5 hoursEnroll in Initial ABSL-2 Training

How to check your training records

Biosafety training records are maintained in the IManager online research compliance system. To check the current status of your trainings:

  1. Log in to IManager using your UWM single sign-on: https://uwm.my.irbmanager.com/Login.aspx?clientid=uwm
  2. On the Project Type Switchboard, select “IBC Biosafety”
  3. Select “[Your Name]’s Settings” at the top right of your dashboard
  4. Select “My Expirations” to view the biosafety and other research compliance training courses you have completed, along with their expiration dates. Note that training records may take 2-3 business days to be updated in IManager.

If you are unsure which trainings are required or need any other assistance, reach out to the biosafety office at uwm-biosafety@uwm.edu

Course Descriptions
UWM Biosafety Training
This course provides an in-depth training in biosafety that includes:

  • Review of biosafety regulations and UWM Biosafety Program campus-specific guidelines
  • Discussion of biological risk assessment
  • Required and recommended containment practices & equipment for different Biosafety Levels (BSLs)
  • Standard operating procedures for personal protective equipment, biosafety cabinets, and other widely used equipment
  • Decontamination & disposal requirements
  • Occupational health & biosecurity considerations
  • Exposure and spill response procedures

Intended audience:

  • Laboratory personnel working with biological materials at BSL-2 or higher
  • Labs with long-term and/or extensive use of biological materials, regardless of BSL
  • Principal Investigators, Lab Directors, Course Instructors, or other supervisory staff

 

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens (CITI)
This course provides necessary training for individuals who work with or may have contact with bloodborne pathogens in their laboratories. The training includes discussion of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Bloodborne Pathogens standard; an introduction to universal precautions; training in emergency response and use of engineering controls; and information on Hepatitis B vaccination.

Intended audience: Any individuals working with human or primate materials, including cell lines, blood, tissue, or other bodily fluids; or any individuals working with other potentially infectious materials

 

Shipping and Transport of Regulated Biological Materials (CITI)
This course provides an overview of the legal requirements for shipping of various biological materials, including infectious materials and genetically-modified organisms. The training covers information on classification of materials; requirements for packaging, labeling, and permitting; and emergency response during transit.

Intended audience: Any individuals who ship or receive regulated biological materials, or any individuals who ship or receive any biological materials if unsure how to classify the materials

 

Initial ABSL-2 Training
ABSL-2 is a containment level that is assigned for vivarium work with vertebrate laboratory animals that are naturally or experimentally infected with agents associated with human disease and posing a moderate hazard to personnel and the environment. Because of the unique hazards associated with animal research, including shared responsibility for safety and animal care across husbandry, facilities, and research staff, work at ABSL-2 at UWM requires specific initial training.

Intended audience: Any individuals who work with live animals at ABSL-2 containment.

 

Access Instructions
CITI Courses
  1. Go to the CITI website.
  2. If you are already registered:
    1. Log in to your existing account. If your registration is with a different institution, you can add an affiliation to UWM from the main My Courses page by clicking “Add Institutional Affiliation”
    2. Under the Institutional Courses header, click the “View Courses” button next to University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
    3. If you are enrolling in a new course, scroll to the bottom of the page and select “Add a Course”.
    4. Select the “Biosafety/Biosecurity (BSS)” group option, then click “Next”. Select the course or courses needed based on the above training matrix, then click “Next”
    5. Find the relevant course on your UWM Courses page and click the blue button to enter and complete the course
  3. If you are not already registered:
    1. Create an account by clicking “Register” on the right side of the screen. In the Organization/Affiliation box, enter “University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee” and select it from the list.
    2. Select the “Biosafety/Biosecurity (BSS)” group option, then click “Next”. Select the course or courses needed based on the above training matrix, then click “Next”
    3. Find the relevant course on your UWM Courses page and click the blue button to enter and complete the course

 

Canvas Courses

Some biosafety training courses are offered as Canvas Continuing Education Courses. You may self-enroll, using your UWM ePanther ID and password. To enroll follow these instructions:

  1. Click the appropriate Canvas course link in the training matrix at the top of this page
  2. Click on “Enroll Now”
  3. Click on “Already have an account? Sign in here”, then select “UW Employee / Faculty / Student” to log in using your UWM ePanther ID and password.
  4. After you’ve completed the course, you will have an automated certificate generated through Canvas for your records.

If you do not have a UWM email address, following the instructions below to enroll in the course:

  1. Click the appropriate Canvas course link in the training matrix at the top of this page
  2. If prompted to enroll via UW Continuing Education, click “Enroll Now”, enter your information to register a new account, select “Enroll”, then select “Go To Course”
  3. To log in, select “UW Continuing Education Student”
  4. Select the link at the top right corner of the login box (“Need a Canvas Account? Click Here, It’s Free!”) to set up a Canvas account
  5. On the next screen, select “I’m A Student”
  6. Enter all of the required student sign-up information. If you haven’t already enrolled via UW Continuing Education, use the appropriate Join Code for the course you need to complete:
    1. Initial ABSL-2 Training: JY4AA6
    2. Autoclave Safety & Use Training: B7RT48
    3. UWM Biosafety Training: JWJ98F
  7. Click “Start Learning”. You should now have a Canvas account which will be enrolled in the UWM Biosafety Course.

Recommended Training Courses

Animal Biosafety

This course provides information on basic requirements for work at various ABSLs, with particular focus on specific hazards related to work with live animals such as allergen exposure, occupational health concerns, sharps usage, etc.

Audience: Any individuals who work with live animals in their research. Primarily focused on work with vertebrate mammals.
Format: self-paced online
Duration: 20-30 minutes

Log in to CITI

 

Autoclave Safety & Use Training

Autoclaves are sterilization equipment frequently used in biological laboratories to sterilize experimental materials and decontaminate waste. This course is designed to introduce new autoclave users to the hazards associated with autoclaves, best practices for use of autoclaves, and Wisconsin state requirements for testing and recordkeeping.

Audience: lab & research staff who work with autoclaves
Format: self-paced online
Duration: 20-30 minutes

Enroll in Autoclave Safety & Use Training [Canvas]

 

Introduction to Biosafety

This course provides a basic overview of biosafety, including discussion of laboratory-associated infections, biosafety levels, and basic work practices for biosafety in laboratory environments.

Audience: lab & research staff who work with biological materials that are not biohazardous or recombinant; short-term students or volunteers who need biosafety awareness training but will not have unsupervised access to biological materials
Format: self-paced online
Duration: 20-30 minutes

Log in to CITI

Additional Training & Education Opportunities

Biosafety Program Orientation

This 10-minute video provides a brief orientation to the Biosafety Program at UWM. It is strongly recommended that new Principal Investigators and Course Instructors view this video to learn about the Biosafety Program and what requirements to expect as they set up their labs.

 

Custom Training Sessions

The Biosafety Program offers customized training sessions as requested for research groups, classes, or others on campus. These trainings can be conducted virtually or in-person, depending on the needs of the group. If you would like to request a training session, contact uwm-biosafety@uwm.edu to discuss topics of interest and schedule a session!

 

Other Required Trainings

Depending on the hazards worked with in your lab, you may be required to take additional safety training courses. Click the links below to be directed to other UWM safety programs that may be relevant to determine your required training needs: