30/07/2018
The publication provides basic knowledge regarding the design, construction, refurbishment and maintenance of biological facilities in Southeast Asia
The manual, entitled A General Introduction to the Design and Construction of Safe Laboratories in Low-Resource Settings, has been developed within the framework of the NRBQ 46 project, funded by the EU and managed by FIIAPP together with FORMIT (Foundation for Technology Migration and Research) and L. SACCO (Fatebenefratelli Sacco Hospital), both of which are Italian institutions.
The manual is primarily aimed at architects, engineers and other professionals in the construction industry who live and work in Southeast Asia, although it has a wider and more universal application. Its aim is to offer information to those professionals who do not have previous knowledge regarding the design or construction of biological facilities.
The content comes from the guides and training material provided, as part of the NRBQ46 project, to the members of the Design Experts Team (DET) during their training in biological facilities. The main reference for the preparation of this publication has been the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual, which establishes the foundations of biosafety, with special concern for developing and low-income countries. It also establishes a series of good practices and recommendations that can be considered standard for low-income countries.
The NRBQ46 project, which has just ended, aimed to improve Nuclear, Radiological, Biological and Chemical Defence (NRBC) capacities in Southeast Asian countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) to reduce the risks in this field.
The Centres of Excellence for the mitigation of NRBC risks, which are part of this project, are an initiative by the European Union, funded by the Instrument for Stability and Peace (IcSP) and managed in coordination with the External Action Service (EEAS). In addition, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and other relevant organisations also collaborate to ensure effective cooperation in this field. The initiative currently includes 60 partner countries from 8 regions around the world.
