SSBA Standards and Guidelines
SSBA Standards
Standards for the handling, storage, disposal and transport of security-sensitive biological agents and suspected security-sensitive biological agents have been issued under Section 35 of the National Health Security Act 2007.
SSBA Standards - effective July 2011
SSBA Guidelines
The SSBA Guidelines have been developed to support the SSBA Regulatory Scheme. The guidelines currently include information about the following topics:
- Defining Loss, Theft and Accidental Release of SSBAs
- Entities and Facilities
- Handling a Person or Animal or Samples from a Person or Animal, Affected by an SSBA
- Indicators of Suspicious Behaviour in Laboratories Handling SSBA
- Non-Registered Facility Reporting and Requirements
- Reporting to Law Enforcement or the National Security Hotline
- Registered Facility Reporting Requirements
- SSBA Regulatory Scheme Monitoring Inspections
- SSBA Toxins
- SSBAs and Other Regulatory Schemes
- SSBAs in the Natural Environment
- Transporting SSBAs and Suspected SSBAs
- Toxin levels in environmental and clinical samples
SSBA Fact Sheets
In addition, SSBA Fact Sheets are available to support the education and awareness of the SSBA Regulatory Scheme and provide information to stakeholders on topics of particular interest. There are currently Fact Sheets on the following topics:
- About Us (Office of Health Protection, Department of Health and Ageing)
- Disposal
- Domestic Legislation
- Dual-use
- Emergency Disease Situations
- Emergency Situations
- Exemptions
- Information Security
- International Conventions and Agreements
- Legislative Framework
- List of Security Sensitive Biological Agents
- National Health Security Checks
- Overview
- Top Management
- Upgrading a Facility from Tier 2 to Tier 1 SSBAs
Reporting Forms
The SSBA Regulatory Scheme requires entities and facilities to report to the Department of Health and Ageing details of reportable events in relation to the handling of SSBAs.
Contact the Office of Research Ethics, Compliance and Integrity if you require further information about SSBA reporting.
Comment on SSBA Guidelines and Fact Sheets
The SSBA Guidelines and Fact Sheets have been developed to support the SSBA Regulatory Scheme. Stakeholders are welcome to suggest areas of interest that may warrant the development of further items. Any suggestions for the SSBA Guidelines or SSBA Fact Sheet topics should also be emailed to the Office of Research Ethics, Compliance and Integrity.
