Background:
In 1991, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued the Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) Standard to protect employees who have occupational exposure to human blood or other potentially infectious materials. While human blood, most body fluids, unfixed human tissues and organs were clearly included within the scope and application of the standard, the inclusion of human cell lines was ambiguous.

In 1994, OSHA issued an interpretation of the applicability of the BBP Standard towards human cell lines. According to the interpretation, human cell lines are considered to be potentially infectious and within the scope of the BBP Standard unless the specific cell line has been characterized to be free of hepatitis viruses, HIV, Epstein-Barr virus, papilloma viruses and other recognized bloodborne pathogens.1 In alignment with this interpretation, the American Type Culture Collections (ATCC) recommends that all human cell lines be accorded the same level of biosafety consideration as a line known to carry HIV.2 Moreover, the Fourth Edition of the CDC publication, Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), recommends that human and other primate cells should be handled using Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) practices and containments.3

In consideration of the aforementioned regulatory interpretation and consensus guidelines and other factors, the CU Institutional Biosafety Committee has adopted the following policy in regards to the use of human cell lines.

Policy:
All cell and organ cultures of human origin, including well established cell lines, shall be handled in accordance with the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard and under Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) containment.

References:

1. OSHA Letter of Interpretation, URL:
   http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document? p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=21519
2. American Type Culture Collection Frequently Asked Questions, URL: http://www.atcc.org/TechnicalInfo/faqCellBiology.cfm#Q53
3. Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, 5th Edition, URL: http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/biosfty/bmbl5/bmbl5toc.htm

(This policy was developed by the University of Virginia and has granted Clemson University permission to use it and was approved by the CU-IBC on 8/29/2006.)