Working with biological matter

Biologicals include:

  • blood and blood products
  • tissues and body fluids (e.g. urine, faeces, semen, vaginal secretions, pericardial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva, mucus, any fluid with visible blood)
  • derivatives produced by chemical or physical means (e.g. protein, enzyme or blood fractions)
  • microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, prions)
  • wild-type or mutant plants and plant material.

Before working with biologicals

Immunisations

Before you work with biologicals, you should:

  1. be up to date with relevant immunisations.
  2. contact your doctor or email the Health Safety & Wellbeing team at hsw@monash.edu for specific advice on working with a particular type of matter or organism.

Other immunisations may also be recommended if you’re working with animals.

Risk assessments

Before you work with biologicals, you’ll need to submit a risk assessment in SARAH.

Procedures and resources