Biological agents

At the present time more than 6000 biological agents are classified into risk groups. They have very different properties and are normally not perceivable by the sense organs. In the case of mould, a musty odour and even the visible infestation of objects or the working environment may indicate its presence. But the lack of such an odour or the visible infestation is not a criterion for the non-presence of mould.

Measuring methods have their limits with biological agents because they only verify individual biological agents. With the complex biological exposures which frequently occur it is often not possible to identify any credible hazard potential. In addition the individual biological agents need very different living and nutritional conditions for their growth. Measuring methods can therefore only make sense as an orientation or to check the effectiveness of the protective measures.

An estimate as to whether a biological agent can arise is obtained from scientific knowledge of epidemiology, survival probabilities or empirical values.

The most important set of practical instructions for activities involving biological agents is the Technical Rules for Biological Agents TRBA 400 as well as the sector-specific TRBA.

The only property which all biological agents have in common is the infection potential. Accordingly they are also classified into risk groups. For reasons of clarity it would be inappropriate to show an overview table of more than 6000 biological agents. Reference should therefore be made to TRBA 460, TRBA 462, TRBA 464 and TRBA 466 and to the Directive 2000/54 EU with its annexes.

Some bacteria and moulds have sensitising effects. They are identified accordingly in the lists mentioned above. Similarly toxic properties are shown separately.

Further information is only available in German.