Chapter 5 Operational Requirments for TF

5.1 Operator

The TF must comply with Section 3.1 of TFGEN and have an approved TF operator certificate

The Operator has overall responsibility for the facility, its maintenance and operation. The Operator must ensure that the technical and financial resourcing mechanisms are in place to maintain the facility. The Operator details are listed in the table below.

Table 5.1: Transitional Facility Operator Details
Transitional Facility Operator Deputy Transitional Facility Operator
Name Bob Dagg
Mobile No 021 279 5815
After Hours Number 021 279 5815
email Address
Certicicate Number BTS3099
Certificate Expiry June 2022

These responsibilities also include:

  • Ensuring both the structure of the facility, and the operating procedures used in the facility, are technically appropriate for the containment of all uncleared risk goods.
  • Ensure all people working in the facility are familiar with the principles of containment and the procedures of the facility that ensure containment. This may include non research staff.
  • Liaison with the MPI supervisor of the facility.
  • Carrying out internal audits to ensure the facility complies with the MPI standard under which the facility operates.
  • Ensuring this manual is reviewed regularly following the receipt of the Annual MPI audit report.

5.2 Receipt, Management and Transfer of Uncleared Risk Goods

The operator keeps records of all transitional material admitted into the facility.

5.3 Transferring samples

5.3.1 External Transfers of New Samples into the Facility

Any transfers from the TF need to be approved by MPI. The form required to transfer transitional material to and from the TF is Authority to move uncleared biosecurity risk goods - including animal, biological and seed, a copy of the transfer from can be downloaded from can be downloaded from the Forms and templates for importing biological products webpage on the MPI Website . An example of the form can be found in Appendix 5.17

5.3.2 Internal Transfers of Samples between ORCA sites

Should samples require transferred between any of the three sites that make up the Otago Marine Sediment Core Facility an Internal Transfer Form must be completed. An electronic version of the transfer form is located on the UoO Redcap Server (https://redcap.link/1rfnz9wi). This should be done a minimum of 3 working days prior to the transfer.

A hard copy of the transfer form can be found in Appendix 5.16

5.4 Approved Users

Prior to accessing transitional material stored in the ORCA Transitional Facility, users must attend a training session run by the Operator. The training will cover procedures and requirements outlined in this manual and the current Import Health Standard for Soil, Rock, Gravel, Sand, Clay and Water.

A list of the personnel who have been trained to use the facility will be retained as part of this manual.

The training of approved users must be refreshed at least once per calender year if they still intend to work with transitional samples.

Approved users must:

  • Ensure that registers of uncleared risk goods are kept up-to-date and that copies are lodged with the Operator. The Approved User must keep up to date a system that enables uncleared risk goods to be tracked or located.
  • Inform the Operator of any instances of non-compliance in that part of the facility for which they have supervisory responsibility.

5.5 TF Security and Access

Access all sites listed in Section 4.1 requires either swipe card access or a key as indicated below. Any visitor wishing to work with uncleared risk goods must be fully trained and be familiar with this manual.

  • Site 1 - Access restricted by swipe card
  • Site 2 - Access restricted by swipe card and bluetooth padlock
  • Site 3 - Access restricted by swip card and key.

Access to site 2 is controlled through the use of bluetooth padlocks on the main gate and the side gate. Individual access to the facility is setup using the Masterlock Enterprise Website. The Masterlock Enterprise Organisational ID for ORCA is 3821.

To access the facility users must download the Masterlock Enterprise App onto their phones.

Sites 2 and 3 have QR codes on the door that must be scanned when first entering the facility. When working with students, only the lead researcher/academic who has been inducted into ORCA needs to scan the QR Code.

5.6 Segregation of Uncleared Risk Goods

All individual samples of uncleared risk goods should be labelled with the

  • Job ID
  • BACC C Number
  • Job Name
  • The Researcher associated with the work.

If there are multiple small samples within a larger container, the label should be placed on the outer container, otherwise each container requires a label.A record of the samples in the larger container must be kept. Sub-samples taken from the transitional material should be clearly labelled as transitional material and have the BACC number on the label.

If held in the same refrigerated container as non-transitional materiel, the uncleared risk goods should be contained within a separate sealed container and clearly marked as transitional material.

5.7 Additional Record Keeping

In addition to the records discussed in Section the following records must also be kept for a minimum of two years:

  • Records of internal and external audits and corrective actions
  • Records of all training for Operator and Approved Users including staff and students working under their supervision.
  • Holding copies of the standards under which the facility operates, including any amendments, this includes import health standards
  • A report must be made for any event that might jeopardize biosecurity and the notification to an inspector of each event
  • Maintaining and checking lists of persons authorized to have swipe card and key access.
  • Contaminants and pests found
  • All risk goods that have been released
  • Records of the samples and waste that have been disposed of, when and by which contractor.

5.8 Hygiene Management

5.8.1 Biosecurity Equipment

Each of the sites identified in Section??? shall have dedicated Biosecurity Bins containing supplies for cleaning up and disinfecting spills. Each bin shall be labelled “For Biosecurity Use Only” and contain the following items:

  • Brush and Pan
  • Dual action insecticide
  • Disinfectant
  • Torch and spare batteries
  • Plastic bags
  • Bin liners
  • Paper Towels
  • Trigene 1%
  • Cable Ties
  • Plastic Bags
  • Plastic containers for disinfecting equipment

Site 1 will have a dedicated hand-held vacuum cleaner to pick up spills of transitional material from the carpet. After the loose material has been picked up the carpet will be thoroughly disinfected.The bowl of the vacuum cleaner should be disinfected for 10 minutes after use.

5.8.2 Cleaning

Surfaces and instruments used in the analysis of transitional material shall be cleaned after the analysis has been completed. Cleaning shall be undertaken with Trigene at a 1% concentration using equipment from the Biosecurity Bin. Procedures for cleaning up spills and equipment can be found in Appendix ???

5.8.2.1 Accidental Spill

The procedure for cleaning up after an accidental spill can be found in Appendix 5.14.1

5.8.2.2 Core Splitter

The procedure for cleaning the core splitter after splitting cores with transitional material can be found in Appendix 5.14.2

5.8.2.3 Analysis of Cores and Sub-Samples on Bench space

The procedures for core curation and cleaning up after curating a transitional core can be found in Appendix 5.14.3

5.8.3 Biosecurity Waste Disposal

The biosecurity waste bin shall be emptied on a regular basis by an approved waste collection company to ensure it is not overfilled. This should occur, at a minimum, annually and will be organised by the operator or their deputy. The paperwork pertaining to the collection and destruction of the waste shall be retained.

5.9 Pests and Insects

5.9.1 Pests

Pest control will be undertaken by the university registered pest controller. The location and inspection frequency of the traps has been determined in consultation with the by the contractor. Reports from the contractor will be retained and will be available for inspection.

5.9.2 Insects

Insects will be monitored through the installation of traps around the facility. The location and inspection frequency of the traps will be determined in consultation with the by the contractor.

In addition, good working practice is for cores and samples not be left unattended and exposed for extended lengths of time as this can result in some deterioration/desiccation of the core/sample. This has the additional benefit of reducing the exposure of the sediment to insects

5.10 Internal Audits

Internal audits of the transitional facility will be undertaken a minimum of once every calendar year. An electronic copy of the Internal Audit form can be found UoO Redcap server at the following address https://redcap.link/xc2qi2bq. A hard copy of the form can be found in Appendix 5.16.

.

The audits will be undertaken by staff holding a current Transitional Facility Certificate of Training with the BCO or IBSC. The audits will be uploaded onto the website within 10 days.

5.11 Contingency Plans

5.11.1 Accidental Release of Uncleared Samples

5.11.1.1 Risks

  • Biosecurity Incursion
  • Loss of samples
  • Contamination of other transitional material
  • Contamination of non-transitional material
  • Loss of transitional facility approval

5.11.1.2 Contingency Plans}

  • Notify MPI on Pest and Disease Hotline or verifier (see Table )
  • Locate samples and return to the transitional facility
  • Investigate the cause of the accidental release and modify a procedure to ensure it does not happen again.

5.11.2 Resignation of Operator

5.11.2.1 Risks

  • Loss of oversight of Transitional Facility operations
  • Suspension or cancellation of Transitional Facility approval

5.11.2.2 Contingency Plans

  • Notify MPI on Facility Enquiries Hotline (see Table )
  • Establish a succession plan
  • Request dispensation from MPI for a temporary operator to be appointed.

5.11.3 Accidental Spillage of Transitional Materal

5.11.3.1 Risks

  • Biosecurity Incursion
  • Contamination of non-transitional material
  • Suspension or cancellation of Transitional Facility approval

5.11.3.2 Contingency Plans

  • Notify MPI on Facility Enquiries Hotline (see Table ) for large spillages.
  • Spillages to be cleaned up using the procedure outline in Section

#Appendicies