Team:EMW Street Bio/Safety

Biota Beats - by EMW Streetbio

Safety

We are working in a BSL level 1 lab. The Cambridge Biosafety Committee has reviewed the projects we are undertaking in the lab. We provided the following lab safety training to students:

Good lab conduct

  • Follow all instructions so not to injure you or your colleagues
  • Do not horse around in the lab
  • Do not bring food, beverages, or tobacco products into the lab
  • Do not apply makeup in the lab
  • Do not eat or drink in the lab
  • Do not mouth pipet or drink any lab materials
  • Label your tubes properly (your name, date, sample name)
  • Do not work alone - only work when an expert is around

Personal protection

  • Wear gloves in the proper manner
  • Wear goggles in the proper manner
  • Refrain from wearing loose clothing and jewelry
  • Tie long hair neatly at the back of the neck
  • Wear shoes that enclose your entire feet
  • Legs must be covered, no shorts or skirts

Before beginning any lab activity

  • Know all the dangers associated with all materials (Check Materials Safety Data Sheet - MSDS)
  • Know the proper way of using and disposing of all the materials
  • Know all the protective measures
  • Do not use any lab equipment unless you are trained to use it
  • Do not perform a lab procedure until you are trained do so

BSL-1 safety

Biosafety level 1 (BSL-1) is suitable for work with well-characterized agents which do not cause disease in healthy humans (non-pathogenic). In general, these agents should pose minimal potential hazard to laboratory personnel and the environment. This level of biosafety is appropriate for work with several kinds of microorganisms including non-pathogenic Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other organisms not suspected to contribute to human disease (e.g. mouse cell lines).

Before leaving the lab

  • Leave it cleaner than you found it
  • Clean your workbench with disinfectant at the beginning and end of the lab exercise
    • 70% ethanol for most cases; 10% bleach when working with bacteria and yeast (be sure you are wearing gloves!)
    • Household levels of cleaning agents can be poured down the drain; run water from the faucet for a few minutes afterward
    • Dispose of solid waste in designated container
  • Leave all equipment, samples, and reagents in the lab
  • Wash your hands with soap and water
  • Turn off lights and lock the door

Emergency Procedures

  • Know where all exits are located
  • If an irritating reagent splashes onto you, run affected area under water for 10 minutes and wash with soap
  • If a glass container is broken, notify the instructor immediately
  • Report all accidents and injuries immediately to an instructor