I 
PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT FACILITIES 
In a physical containment facility the element of human 
error can never be totally discounted. The proceedings of the 
Asilomar Conference reported in the book Biohazards in Biological 
Research (Cold Spring Harbor, 1973) points this out most clearly. 
It states (p. 331) "There is a serious misconception that 
containment facilities provide absolute protection for the 
ladDoratory worker . . . Reported ladDoratory-acquired infections 
among workers who occupy containment facilities attest to the 
fact that these facilities provide only limited protection for 
the investigators" (emphasis supplied) . Again, on p. 59 of 
this book, it states "Even if all the physical safety measures of 
proved efficacy are utilized and good laboratory practices 
are adhered to, accidents v/ill occur. . . " In short, there can be 
no guarctntee that a recombinant molecule will not escape the 
laboratory . 
Lciboratory workers are in the most precarious 
positions because of their intimate contact with recombinant 
molecules. Even when when protective clothing is recommended, 
there is no scientific evidence that it is effective in 
preventing infection via the respiratory route, and 79% of 
all laboratory-acquired infections are contracted in this way 
( Biohazards in Biological Research ) . 
-15- 
Appendix K--95 
