Document 5: Employee’s handbook Article 17.1.A

Article 17.1.A

Specimen containment

As any member of our staff should know, our facility consists of 38 levels, 35 underground and 3 on the surface. This layout fits in with our containment and quarantine policies. All our laboratories are modular, and are able to be cut off at a moment’s notice. To stop abuse of this system, the company requires that any personnel activating the containment function verify this with their company PDA’s using a two-factor authentication system. Each PDA has a unique code and can be tracked from laboratory HQ at all times. In the event that a dangerous microorganism/substance escapes containment, all possible methods of exit are cut off and the secondary quarantine airlocks are activated.

Though rarely used for testing, the procedure for containment of dangerous macro organisms is similar with its own specific requirements, clauses and exceptions.

The containment procedure is as follows. In the event that a non-dangerous low value sample breaks out, researchers will guide it back into containment with non-violent means. If the sample breaking containment interferes in research, it must be kept separately from the rest of the samples and observed as an outlier case.

In the event that a non-dangerous high value sample escapes, all efforts must go into making sure the specimen is unaffected and that research can continue as planned. If the specimen is affected in some way that makes it incompatible with the rest of the research project, it must be kept and documented as a special outlier case.

In the event that a dangerous low value sample escapes, reserve security personnel will be dispatched to help with containment. If there is another experiment that requires testing and can be used safely within the facility, permission will be granted for a special field test on the condition that no company assets are damaged or that any personnel are harmed.

In the event that an extremely dangerous low value specimen escapes, all researcher are required to report to the emergency safe rooms located in the same location on each level. All personnel will be briefed on the situation and dispatched with surplus company firearms (all developed and manufactured in-house) and asked to help with containment. If certain staff wish to remain in the safe room, they are allowed to do so but are not permitted to take a company firearm, as it is not necessary.

In the event that a dangerous high-value specimen escapes, after the area is quarantined, all personnel must report to the nearest safe room to be briefed on the situation. All efforts to preserve the specimen must take priority, even if that means sacrificing company assets. If it is deemed necessary, the specimen can be destroyed if the potential value of keeping the specimen alive outweighs the value of resources needed to successfully contain it.

In regards to all specimen containment failures, copies of all the data obtained between 48 hours before the containment failure until 48 hours after containment has be re-established, must be turned over to the research team who had their specimen breach containment. This is to help aid research, detail outlier cases and determine the causes of the breach. Any staff harmed during a containment operation must be stabilized as quickly as possible. Casualties will be taken care of after containment is re-established.

Excerpt from the facility A employee’s handbook.