Biological safety is the state of protection of people and individual components of the natural environment (atmospheric air, surface and ground water, the earth’s surface and soil layer, flora and fauna and other organisms from hazardous biological factors, including those ensured by biological protection measures.
This is a system of medical-biological, organizational and engineering measures aimed at protecting working personnel, the population and the environment from the effects of biological agents.
Pathogenic biological agent – microorganisms, poisons of biological and plant origin (toxins), helminths, nematodes, capable of causing an infectious and (or) parasitic process in the body of a human, animal or plant.
Principles of ensuring biological safety
1) handling of pathogenic biological agents exclusively for non-military purposes: handling of pathogenic biological agents for the purposes of developing, producing and stockpiling, using bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons is prohibited;
2) prevention, analysis and forecast of biological threats based on data from accounting and monitoring in the field of biological safety;
3) controllability of handling of pathogenic biological agents: handling of pathogenic biological agents is carried out in accordance with the requirements in the field of biological safety;
4) preventive measures in the field of biological safety must be proportionate to the degree of danger of biological factors;
5) priority of the national interests of the Republic of Kazakhstan: it is not permitted to accept obligations within the framework of international cooperation that do not correspond to the national interests of the Republic of Kazakhstan, that could damage the national security of the Republic of Kazakhstan or lead to the loss of independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
State regulation in the field of biological safety
The main problems and threats, strategic goals, main directions, target indicators, tasks and performance indicators, interdepartmental cooperation in the field of biological safety are determined by the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Ensuring prompt interdepartmental exchange of information and taking coordinated measures in the field of biological safety.