Biosafety: From a traditional approach to an integrated approach

Risk perception can be influenced by rational and emotional factors. Biosafety is an important issue globally and refers to the measures implemented to prevent the release of biological agents and toxins. About workplace safety, unsafe behavior can be motivated by internal and external factors, among which risk perception is a key internal one. Research has demonstrated the influence of risk perception on different kinds of safety behavior and involvement in organizational safety management. Different factors of psychological interest may contribute, cognitive and interpretative errors impacting on risk assessment in a biological laboratory. Science-based assessment are then integrated with political and social considerations in order to design and implement risk management strategies able to prevent, reduce or eliminate risk.