{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T10:37:22Z","timestamp":1777891042679,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["WOR"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,26]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 global pandemic brought several challenges to occupational safety and health practice. One of these is the need to (re)assess the occupational risks, particularly, biological risks. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work is to promote guidance to occupational safety and health practitioners when conducting a biological risk assessment in this context. METHODS: The main steps of the biological risk assessment are explained with some inputs regarding the novelty posed by SARS-CoV-2 and an example of a qualitative risk assessment method is presented. Also, its application to two different activities was exemplified. RESULTS: In both cases, the assessment considered that vulnerable workers were working from home or in medical leave. The results showed low or medium risk level for the assessed tasks. For medium risk level, additional controls are advised, such maintain social distancing, sanitize instruments\/equipment before use, use proper and well-maintained PPE (when applicable), and promote awareness sessions to spread good practices at work. Employers must be aware of their obligations regarding biological risk assessment and OSH practitioners must be prepared to screen and link the abundance of scientific evidence generated following the outbreak, with the technical practice. CONCLUSIONS: This paper could be an important contribution to OSH practice since it highlights the need to (re)assess occupational risks, especially biological risk, to ensure a safe return to work, providing technical guidance.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3233\/wor-205302","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,14]],"date-time":"2021-05-14T12:11:19Z","timestamp":1620994279000},"page":"3-13","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":16,"title":["Biological risk assessment: A challenge for occupational safety and health practitioners during the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"69","author":[{"given":"Carlos","family":"Carvalhais","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Environmental Health Scientific Area, Health and Environment Research Center (CISA), School of Health of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESS|P.Porto), Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida, Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Rua das Taipas, Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Rua das Taipas, Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Micaela","family":"Querido","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Rua das Taipas, Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Rua das Taipas, Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Environmental Health Department, National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Rua Alexandre Herculano, Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Instituto de Ci\u00eancias Biom\u00e9dicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Cristiana C.","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Rua das Taipas, Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Rua das Taipas, Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Environmental Health Department, National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Rua Alexandre Herculano, Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Joana","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Environmental Health Scientific Area, Health and Environment Research Center (CISA), School of Health of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESS|P.Porto), Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida, Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Reahbilitation Research (CIR), School of Health of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESS|P.Porto), Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida, Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"LAETA\/INEGI, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"179","reference":[{"issue":"2","key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1016\/j.shaw.2014.03.006","article-title":"Biologically hazardous agents at work and efforts to protect workers\u2019 health: A review of recent reports","volume":"5","author":"Rim","year":"2014","journal-title":"Saf Health Work"},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref5","unstructured":"World Health Organization (WHO). Laboratory biosafety manual. 3rd ed. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2004, p. 178."},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref6","first-page":"L 262\/21","article-title":"Diretive \/54\/CE, from 18 of September of 2000","volume":"4","author":"European Parliament","year":"2000","journal-title":"Off J Eur Communities"},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref7","unstructured":"Health and Safety Authority (UK). Risk Group Classification for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. 2020;2:2\u20133."},{"issue":"5","key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"567","DOI":"10.1093\/ajcp\/aqaa047","article-title":"Safety Considerations in the Laboratory Testing of Specimens Suspected or Known to Contain the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)","volume":"153","author":"Iwen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am J Clin Pathol"},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139076","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2020.139076","article-title":"SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: State of the knowledge and research needs","volume":"739","author":"Kitajima","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci Total Environ"},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139652","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2020.139652","article-title":"First detection of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastewaters in Italy","volume":"736","author":"La Rosa","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci Total Environ"},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"474","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ergon.2012.11.001","article-title":"Noise exposure and hearing loss in classical orchestra musicians","volume":"43","author":"Russo","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int J Ind Engon"},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-020-17367-2","article-title":"SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via contact and via the air between ferrets","volume":"11","author":"Richard","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nat Commun"},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-205302_ref20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14857","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2009637117","article-title":"Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of COVID-19","volume":"117","author":"Zhang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Proc Natl Acad Sci USA"}],"container-title":["Work"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/content.iospress.com\/download?id=10.3233\/WOR-205302","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T05:52:39Z","timestamp":1777614759000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.3233\/WOR-205302"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,26]]},"references-count":10,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1"},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3233\/wor-205302","relation":{},"ISSN":["1051-9815","1875-9270"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1051-9815","type":"print"},{"value":"1875-9270","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,26]]}}}