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Abbotsford CL3 Laboratory - The Challenge of Adding
and Integrating a New CL3 Laboratory Into an Existing Diagnostic
Laboratory Facility
R.A. (Bob) Henry, RPT (Eng),
and Wilfred Lach, , Stantec Consulting Ltd.
The current need to provide suitable facilities for
the investigation of Risk Group 3 pathogens creates significant
challenges for a non-containment facility. This poster will illustrate
a unique case study, The Abbotsford CL3 Laboratory, that demonstrates
the challenges and strategies undertaken to add a Level 3 bio-containment
laboratory to an existing diagnostic facility.
The lab is designed to Canadian Containment Guidelines and Standards,
which define strict design, physical and operational requirements.
The design submission includes a checklist, issued by the regulating
agency, to be completed by the designers and users, serving for
the Agency design review and as the basis for the inspection for
certification.
The lab is a diagnostic facility serving the agricultural community,
encountering highly pathogenic Avian Influenza, West Nile Virus,
and TSE Prion diseases. The lab is positioned to address outbreak
situations and is to consider emerging pathogens. Canadian regulations
require effluent sterilization systems for the secondary effluent
from sinks, showers, toilets, and autoclaves.
The challenges encountered with development of the lab include
the following:
- Incorporating CL3 laboratory environments into an existing non-containment
facility.
- Users definition of operating procedures.
- Development of a process flow diagram to detail specimen, sample,
and people flow in the facility.
- Regulatory authority definition to determine separation between
farm and lab protocols.
- CL-3 Lab location for integration with existing lab areas and
processes.
- Prion disease agents in the sampling process, lab and secondary
effluent sterilization system.
- Air quality in rural environment and treatment for use in laboratory
environment.
- Exhaust dispersion modeling with respect to existing and new
exhaust sources and intake receptors, dilution requirements.
Success of the lab development is in the detail, demanding enthusiasm
and dedication from the users, the Government Building Corporation,
the regulatory agencies and the designers.
Labs21 Connection:
Unique/noteworthy aspects of this case study include:
- Incorporating the benefits of an integrated design approach
including participation of regulatory agencies (CFIA in Canada),
owners technical advisory team, commissioning agent, laboratory
user group to minimize risks and ensure a successful outcome.
- The development and use of a blended sustainable design worksheet
combining LEED®, Labs21, and Green Guidelines for Health Care
to target LEED certification.
- Harnessing local natural resources to support the laboratory
environment including the study of geothermal energy for building
process heating and cooling.
- Introduction of waste management systems to prevent the release
of organisms (including non-indigenous pathogens) presenting serious
risk to individuals and local economic systems.
- Development of a design checklist to track conformance to regulatory
documents including: Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), with
responsibility for human pathogens and the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA), with responsibility for animal pathogens.
- Comparable regulatory documents include: The World Health Organization
Laboratory Biosafety Manual, the U.S. Biosafety in Microbiological
& Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL). The PHAC Guidelines correspond
to the CDC/NIH BMBL publication for BSL-1 to BSL-4. The CFIA standards
address the ABSL-1 to ABSL-4 and the U.S.D.A Publication 242.1M-ARS.
Biographies:
Bob Henry is a senior HVAC designer with more than 40 years
experience in building mechanical systems design and project administration
as an engineering consultant for multi-unit residential, commercial,
recreational, institutional and industrial facilities. He is responsible
for establishing the definition of project scope, providing the
experience base and guidance for detailed design, drafting, and
preparation of contract documents by engineering and technical personnel.
Bob's approach to projects is to define the project requirements
in cooperation with the users, develop the solutions for approval
by the client, and work with the engineering team to ensure that
the contract documents reflect the direction and cost constraints
required for the facility construction.
Bob Henry's education includes:
- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Edmonton, Alberta,
Diploma, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, 1965.
- Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Calgary, Alberta,
Mathematics of Finance, Statistics (Continuing Ed), 1977.
- Health Canada/Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, Ontario,
Containment Level 3: Design and Operation Certificate of Training,
2003.
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, Ontario, Operational
and Design Considerations for Working with Large Animals in Containment
Level 3 Facilities, 2003.
Wilfred Lach is a Principal at Stantec
and has been actively involved in the design, contract documentation,
and contract administration of research, healthcare, education,
civic, and commercial projects for the past 20 years. In recent
years his interest and work have been focused on research facilities
for public and private organizations. He is a regular attendee at
conferences on laboratory design including the 2003 CALAS Symposium,
2002 PITTCON Conference, and the 2002 Cahner's Lab Design Conference.
He is currently engaged in preparation as a LEED Registered Professional.
He is also active in Construction Specifications Canada.
Wildred's education includes a Bachelor of Environmental Studies
at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and a Master
of Architecture, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1983
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