Using the App

ACDP Biosafety Simulator

Premium tool. Open directly at /acdp-biosafety-simulator. The simulator has its own page and is also listed on the Training Dashboard, which records your attempts.

The Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) classification determines how every clinical microbiology, virology, and reference specimen is handled. This simulator drills the rules.

What it does

• Presents a clinical specimen scenario (sample type, suspected organism, patient context)
• Asks you to assign the Hazard Group (HG1, HG2, HG3, HG4)
• Asks you to select the matching Containment Level (CL1, CL2, CL3, CL4)
• Asks you to specify required PPE and engineering controls (cabinet type, room pressure, etc.)
• Walks you through what happens if classification is upgraded after initial receipt

Hazard Groups (UK ACDP)

• HG1 — unlikely to cause human disease (e.g. most environmental bacteria)
• HG2 — can cause disease, unlikely to spread, treatment usually exists (e.g. Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, HBV, HCV, most respiratory viruses)
• HG3 — serious disease, may spread, treatment may exist (e.g. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, HIV, SARS-CoV-2 historically, Brucella)
• HG4 — serious disease, high spread risk, no treatment usually (e.g. Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Crimean-Congo)

Containment Levels

Each Containment Level has specific engineering and procedural requirements. The simulator tests your knowledge of:

• Cabinet selection — open bench / Class I / Class II / Class III microbiological safety cabinet
• Room pressure — neutral / negative for CL3+
• PPE — gloves, gown, FFP3, eye protection, full positive-pressure suit (CL4)
• Waste handling — autoclave on site for CL3+
• Spill response — graded by HG
• Notification — RIDDOR-reportable for some exposures

Common scenarios

• A pulmonary TB sample arrives in a Cat 2 (HG2) microbiology lab
• A returning traveller specimen flagged as possible viral haemorrhagic fever
• A blood culture growing what the Gram suggests is Brucella
• An unexpected histology specimen with high mycobacterial burden
• A staff member exposed to a HG3 specimen
• Bench centrifuging without the right rotor

Standards alignment

• ACDP — Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens, Approved List of biological agents (current edition)
• HSE COSHH regulations (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health)
• HSE Biological Agents Directive application
• WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual — current edition
• UKHSA specific organism guidance
• ISO 15189:2022 with safety as a cross-cutting requirement

Bands and competency mapping

• Band 2-4 — work within CL2 routinely; recognise CL3 triggers
• Band 5 — assign HG; select CL; handle a containment upgrade; manage a spill
• Band 6 / 7 — biosafety officer role in larger labs; chair safety committee; lead RIDDOR reporting

The simulator is accepted as IBMS Specialist Portfolio evidence for Medical Microbiology, Virology, and Quality Management.

Common interview question themes

• "Walk me through how you would respond to an unexpected suspected TB sample"
• "How do you escalate when a specimen is reclassified upward mid-processing?"
• "What's the difference between a Class II and a Class III cabinet?"
• "How do you handle a HG3 spill?"