Develop a risk control strategy

If the risk is not acceptable, a risk control strategy must be developed to reduce any initial risks to an acceptable risk so that the procedure can be performed safely. A risk control strategy is important to ensure that the risks are prioritized based on the available resources. The resources must be effective and sustainable.

Different strategies may be used to reduce and control risks. In order to reduce the risk effectively, more than one risk control strategy may be used.

The following risk control strategies could be considered:

1. Removing the biohazard or substituting it for one that reduces risk (for example, substituting an attenuated or less virulent strain of a biological agent or working with inactivated materials)
2. Change the procedure that is less hazardous, such as polymerase chain reaction rather than culture.
3. Enhancing personnel proficiency (for example, providing additional training and mentorship, competency assessments, exercises, and drills)
4. Applying safety policies and procedures (for example, minimizing propagation and concentration of biological agents, limiting the use of sharps, putting up hazard signs, and implementing occupational health programs)
5. Using PPE (for example, gloves, protective clothing, and respiratory protection), which should be evaluated for each risk to ensure it provides the intended protection to the user
6. Using primary and secondary barriers such as safety equipment and certain facility design features respectively, such as centrifuge safety cup/sealed rotor, biosafety cabinet (BSC), and autoclave
7. Routinely evaluating all risk control measures for effectiveness and failures; any failures should be documented and corrected