October is International Biosafety and Biosecurity Month. This is an opportunity for biosafety professionals to consider the important roles that we serve in fostering an understanding of biosafety and biosecurity. 

Researchers are role models, mentors, and leaders to a new generation of scientists and scientific support personnel. International Biosafety and Biosecurity month is an excellent time to foster an open dialogue with your colleagues, peers, and staff about biosafety and biosecurity. 

Some starting points that you may use to integrate biosafety and biosecurity into your laboratory meetings/ discussions/ practices are below: 

• Collaborate with biosafety professionals on how to streamline safety practices in the laboratory. 
• Discuss and identify the high-risk, high-impact research in your laboratory. 
• Review procedures in your laboratory environment, the engineering controls in place, required PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), and decontamination and disposal procedures. 
• Identify whether all your laboratory personnel have completed the required Biological Safety training (EH12) 

• Discuss the Institutional Biosafety Committee approval process.