{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/genetically-modified-organisms-contained-use-regulations-2014/schedule-8/part-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/genetically-modified-organisms-contained-use-regulations-2014/schedule-8/part-2.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2014/1663",
  "legislation_title": "The Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2014",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/genetically-modified-organisms-contained-use-regulations-2014",
  "path": "schedule/8/part/2",
  "kind": "part",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": "Containment measures",
  "text": "Table 1a\nContainment measures applicable to contained use involving micro-organisms in laboratories\n1 “isolation” means, in relation to a laboratory, separation of the laboratory from other areas in the same building, or being in a separate building.\n2 Entry must be through an airlock which is a chamber isolated from the laboratory. The clean side of the airlock must be separated from the restricted side by changing or showering facilities and preferably by interlocking doors.\n3 Where viruses are not retained by the HEPA filters, extra requirements will be necessary for extract air.\n4 Where the autoclave is outside the laboratory in which the contained use is being undertaken, but within the laboratory suite, there must be validated procedures for the safe transfer of material into that autoclave, which provide a level of protection equivalent to that which would be achieved by having an autoclave in that laboratory.\nContainment Measures\nContainment Levels\n1\n2\n3\n4\nFacilities\n1\nLaboratory suite: isolation1\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired\nrequired\n2\nLaboratory: sealable for fumigation\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired\nrequired\nEquipment\n3\nSurfaces impervious to water, resistant to acids, alkalis, solvents, disinfectants and decontamination agents and easy to clean\nrequired for any bench\nrequired for any bench\nrequired for any bench and floor\nrequired for any bench, floor, ceiling and walls\n4\nEntry to laboratory via airlock2\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\n5\nNegative pressure relative to the pressure of the immediate surroundings\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired except for activities where transmission does not occur by the airborne route\nrequired\n6\nExtract and input air from the laboratory must be HEPA filtered\nnot required\nnot required\nHEPA filters required for extract air except for activities where transmission does not occur by the airborne route\nHEPA filters required for input and extract air3\n7\nMicrobiological safety cabinet/enclosure\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired, and all procedures with infective materials required to be contained within a cabinet/\nenclosure\nrequired,\nand all procedures with infective materials required to be contained within a cabinet/\nenclosure\n8\nAutoclave\nrequired on site\nrequired in the building\nrequired in the laboratory suite4\ndouble ended autoclave required in laboratory\nSystem of work\n9\nAccess restricted to authorised personnel only\nnot required\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired (via airlock key procedure)\n10\nBiohazard sign on door\nnot required\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\n11\nSpecific measures to control aerosol dissemination\nnot required\nrequired so as to minimise\nrequired so as to prevent\nrequired so as to prevent\n12\nShower\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\n13\nProtective clothing\nsuitable protective clothing required\nsuitable protective clothing required\nsuitable protective clothing required; footwear required where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\ncomplete change of clothing and footwear required before entry and exit\n14\nGloves\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows they are required\nrequired\nrequired\n15\nEfficient control of disease vectors (e.g. rodents and insects) which could disseminate GMMs\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\nWaste\n16\nInactivation of GMMs in effluent from hand-washing sinks and showers and similar effluents\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\n17\nInactivation of GMMs in contaminated material and waste\nrequired by validated means where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired by validated means\nrequired by validated means, with waste inactivated within the laboratory suite\nrequired by validated means, with waste inactivated within the laboratory\nOther measures\n18\nLaboratory to contain its own equipment\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired, so far as is reasonably practicable\nrequired\n19\nAn observation window or alternative is to be present so that occupants can be seen\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\n20\nSafe storage of GMMs\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nsecure storage required\n21\nWritten records of staff training\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nTable 1b\nContainment measures applicable to contained use involving micro-organisms in plant growth facilities (to be read with Table 1a as indicated in paragraph 3(b) of Part 1)\n1 A permanent structure refers to a fixed structure with walls, a roof and a floor. Where the permanent structure is a greenhouse, that structure must also have a continuous waterproof covering and self-closing lockable outer doors, and be located on a site designed to prevent the entry of surface run-off water.\nContainment Measures\nContainment Levels\nAdditional/ modification\n1\n2\n3\n4\nFacilities\n1\nPermanent structure1\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\nmodification\nEquipment\n2\nEntry via a separate room with two interlocking doors\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired (via airlock key procedure)\nadditional\n3\nControl of contaminated run-off water\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired so as to minimise run-off\nrequired so as to prevent run-off\nrequired so as to prevent run-off\nadditional\nSystem of work\n4\nEffective control of disease vectors such as insects, rodents and arthropods which could disseminate GMMs\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\nadditional\n5\nEffective control of pollen, seeds and other plant material which could disseminate GMMs\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired so as to minimise dissemination\nrequired so as to prevent dissemination\nrequired so as to prevent dissemination\nadditional\n6\nProcedures for transfer of living material between the plant growth facilities, protective structure and laboratory must control dissemination of GMMs\nrequired so as to minimise dissemination\nrequired so as to minimise dissemination\nrequired so as to prevent dissemination\nrequired so as to prevent dissemination\nadditional\nTable 1c\nContainment measures applicable to contained use involving micro-organisms in animal units (to be read with Table 1a as indicated in paragraph 3(c))\n1 “animal unit” means a building, or separate area within a building, containing an animal facility and other areas including changing rooms, showers, autoclaves and food storage areas.\n2 “animal facility” means a facility normally used to house stock, breeding or experimental animals or one which is used for the performance of minor surgical procedures on animals.\n3 “isolators” means transparent boxes where small animals are contained within or outside a cage; for large animals, isolated rooms may be more appropriate.\nContainment Measures\nContainment Levels\nAdditional/ modification\n1\n2\n3\n4\nFacilities\n1\nIsolation of animal unit1\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\nmodification\n2\nAnimal facilities2 separated by lockable doors\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\nadditional\n3\nAnimal facilities (cages, etc.) designed to facilitate decontamination (waterproof and easily washable material)\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nadditional\n4\nFloor, walls and ceiling easily washable\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired for floor\nrequired for floor and walls\nrequired for floor, walls and ceiling\nmodification\n5\nAppropriate filters on isolators or isolated rooms3\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nadditional\n6\nAppropriate barriers at the room exit, and at drains or ventilation duct work\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\nadditional\n7\nAnimals kept in appropriate containment facilities, such as cages, pens or tanks but not isolators\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nadditional\n8\nAnimals kept in isolators\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nmodification\nTable 2\nContainment measures applicable to contained use involving micro-organisms in premises other than those referred to in Tables 1a, 1b and 1c\nContainment Measure\nContainment Levels\n1\n2\n3\n4\nGeneral\n1\nViable micro-organisms must be contained in a system which separates the process from the workplace and wider environment (closed system)\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\n2\nClosed systems located within a controlled area\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\n3\nControl of exhaust gases from the closed system\nnot required\nrequired so as to minimise release\nrequired so as to prevent release\nrequired so as to prevent release\n4\nControl of aerosols during sample collection, addition of material to a closed system or transfer of material to another closed system\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired so as to minimise release\nrequired so as to prevent release\nrequired so as to prevent release\n5\nInactivation of bulk culture fluids before removal from the closed system\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired by validated means\nrequired by validated means\nrequired by validated means\n6\nSeals must be designed so as to minimise or prevent release\nnot required\nrequired so as to minimise release\nrequired so as to prevent release\nrequired so as to prevent release\n7\nThe controlled area designed to contain spillage of the entire contents of the closed system\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\nrequired\n8\nThe controlled area sealable to permit fumigation\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\n9\nBiohazard signs posted\nnot required\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\nEquipment\n10\nEntry via airlock\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\n11\nSurfaces resistant to water, acids, alkalis, solvents, disinfectants and decontamination agents and easy to clean\nrequired for any bench\nrequired for any bench\nrequired for any bench and floor\nrequired for any bench, floor, ceilings and walls\n12\nSpecific measures to ventilate adequately the controlled areas in order to minimise air contamination\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows they are required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows they are required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows they are required\nrequired\n13\nThe controlled area maintained at an air pressure negative to the immediate surroundings\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\n14\nExtract and input air from the controlled area must be HEPA filtered\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired for extract air; required where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required for input air\nrequired for input and extract air\nSystem of work\n15\nAccess restricted to authorised personnel only\nnot required\nrequired\nrequired\nrequired\n16\nPersonnel must shower before leaving the controlled area\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\n17\nPersonnel must wear protective clothing\nwork clothing required\nwork clothing required\nrequired\ncomplete change required before exit and entry\n18\nWritten procedures and records of staff training\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows they are required\nrequired\nrequired\nWaste\n19\nInactivation of GMMs in effluent from hand-washing sinks and showers or similar effluents\nnot required\nnot required\nrequired where and to extent the risk assessment shows it is required\nrequired\n20\nInactivation of GMMs in contaminated material and waste including those in process effluent before final discharge\nrequired by validated means where and to extent the risk assessment shows it to be required\nrequired by validated means\nrequired by validated means\nrequired by validated means",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1663/schedule/8/part/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T00:11:52.096455+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}