area, or if he moves from one to another of the units 
of each, he must leave the clothing worn in the highly 
contaminated area, take a soap shower, and again 
change laboratory clothing. 
Laboratory clothing worn in the various areas of the 
research buildings is marked so that it is apparent 
immediately to safety technicians if an employee or 
visitor should attempt to move from one area to another 
All laundering for the lab- 
oratory, as well as the sewing required in mending and 
repair of laboratory clothing and other supplies, is 
done within the building. 
without changing clothing. 
8. Isolation of animals.—Animals are kept in win- 
dowless, separately ventilated isolation areas, sealed 
The isolation units 
are separated by air locks and other decontamination 
facilities so that different viruses or strains of viruses 
can be studied at the same time without spreading from 
one unit to another. 
away from the rest of the world. 
The laboratory work units are 
similarly divided. 
9. Decontamination and sterilization of research 
buildings.—All rooms, corridors, and other areas of the 
research buildings are cleaned and disinfected at fre- 
quent intervals and after the conclusion of experiments, 
in accordance with strict specifications. 
10. Decontamination of air.—There are no openings 
in the research buildings except as required for intake 
and exhaust of air, entrance of personnel, animals, and 
materials, all of which are controlled. Air flowing out 
of the research buildings is decontaminated by a system 
of filters. 
allowed to move from one contaminated area to an- 
other. 
Within the research buildings no air is 
A system of different pressures insures that air 
moves in an outside-to-inside direction whenever per- 
Cattle are unloaded at the Plum Island receiving dock. 
Animals received at the island are never permitted 
to leave. 
sons, animals, or materials enter the building. 
All air entering the principal research building is 
filtered and then either heated, cooled, dehumidified, 
or humidity added as may be required. All air ex- . 
hausted from the building is filtered through deep bed | 
filters located in each room and then through welded 
exhaust ducts extending through the roof. All filter | 
boxes at each room are provided with a damper and 
steam connection. When it is necessary to replace | 
filters, the damper is closed and the steam jet opened — 
to decontaminate the filters and ducts. After this 
decontamination, the filter is removed and replaced — 
before the damper is opened. This system permits 
decontamination of any individual room and change of — 
filters without disturbing operations in any other room 
in the building and leaves the ducts in the machinery | 
space clean and uncontaminated. | 
11. Sterilization of liquid wastes.—All liquid wastes — 
are sterilized by heat before they are discharged as — 
sewage from the research buildings. 
All waste liquids within the principal laboratory 
building pass through welded lines to the sewage decon- 
which is a separate structure. 
Inside the 
building, the sewage passes into 3 large holding tanks — 
and then into a heating system that raises the tempera- 
ture to a minimum of 180° F. and maintains that level 
tamination building, 
within the compound. decontamination — 
for a minimum period of 20 minutes before the sewage | 
s discharged into the sea. | 
Two identical sewage systems are provided: They | 
can be operated independently in case of breakdown or 
repairs or can be operated simultaneously. 
12. Destruction of solid wastes —All solid waste ma- 
terials, including animal carcasses, are destroyed by 
Materials received into research buildings pass through — 
autoclaves, like the one shown here, or through air 
Before re-use, autoclaves and air locks are 
locks. 
sterilized. 
