Experiment No: 01

Name of the experiment: Laboratory Safety

Purpose

The purpose of this safety code is to emphasize particular safety arrangements and
general procedures that apply in the Biotechnology and Microbiology Laboratory,
BRAC University. Each student has a duty to take reasonable care for his own safety
and welfare during laboratory classes and also that of other people likely to be
affected by his actions.

General Precautions

1. Wear protective clothing. Laboratory coats (Aprons) must be properly

fastened.
2. Long hair should be tied back as it is a fire hazard.
3. Do not eat, drink, or smoke in the laboratory.
4. Avoid putting pencils, pens, fingers, etc. in the mouth.
5. Labels should not be licked; use self-adhesive ones or moisten the gum under the
tap.
6. Wash your hands with Savlon or any other available antiseptic agent on
leaving the laboratory.
7. Always cover any unhealed cuts with a water-proof plaster.
8. Clearly label all cultures, solutions, etc., with their contents and your name or
identification code.
9. Turn off gas, water, electricity and other supplies when not required.
10. Sinks might be needed in an emergency and should be kept clear.
11. Never run in a laboratory or along corridors joining laboratories.

N.B. All laboratory accidents, however minor, must be reported to the staff
member in charge of the class or to a demonstrator.

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Chemical Hazard

Very few chemicals are completely harmless; many are toxic to a greater or lesser
degree, sometimes depending on how they enter the body.

 Before using a chemical for the first time, look for any warning notice on the
label. Then take appropriate precautions, e.g., use a fume cupboard if there is
danger from inhalation, or wear protective gloves if skin absorption is a
hazard.
 Charts detailing first-aid treatment for various toxic chemicals are located in
the building and should be consulted if necessary.

Treatment of Spillages

Solutions spilled on the bench or floor should be cleaned up immediately.

 Strong acids should be neutralized with an excess of solid sodium carbonate.

 Caustic alkali should be treated with ammonium chloride and plenty of water.
 Additional information may be obtained from the wall chart in the corridor.
 Protective clothing should be worn, especially eye-shields, during cleaning up.
 Any broken glassware should be cleared away at once. A piece of plasticine
is very useful for collecting small slivers of glass. Broken glass should only be
disposed of in containers marked specifically for that purpose.

Microbiological Hazard

A. Handling Cultures

1. Cultures of microorganisms must not be pipetted by mouth. Use a safety

pipette or rubber teat. Pipettes should not be laid on the bench. They should
be released tip downwards into a jar of disinfectant and completely
immersed. Pasteur pipettes and slides should also be put in a separate jar of
disinfectant.

2. A culture tube must never be laid on the bench or propped against another
object. It should be supported in a rack.

3. Cultures for discard should be placed in a solid-bottom container, from

which they should not be removed or touched in any way until autoclaved.
Material for autoclaving must be kept entirely separate from glassware put
out for washing.

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B. Aerosols and Droplets

Aerosols constitute a major infection hazard and may persist in the air for some
time. Sources of aerosols and droplets include:

 Opening the screw-caps of universal containers

 Opening the snap-on closures on plastic containers or plug stoppers
 Rinsing pasteur pipettes when transferring serum dilutions, etc.
 Accidental breakages
 Shaking or bubbling air through cultures of microorganisms
Guard against excessive production of aerosols by, e.g., careful, non-violent
pipetting. When pipettes are rinsed, e.g., between dilutions, or the contents are
discharged into media or disinfectant, the tip of the pipette should be submerged
and the contents expelled gently, without bubbling.

C. Accidents

In the event of an accident inform the member of staff or demonstrator

immediately.
 If the hands become contaminated they should be washed thoroughly. A
contaminated laboratory coat must be removed to be autoclaved, if practicable,
or disinfected immediately and autoclaved later. A fresh laundered coat should
be put on. Any contaminated personal clothing must also be removed and
treated in the same way.

 If a tube, culture bottle or flask is broken, the area should be flooded with
disinfectant immediately. Broken glass should never be picked up with the
fingers. Forceps or pan and brush should always be used and disinfectant
should be used for these also.

 If cultures are spilt on the bench or floor, the spilt material should then be
mopped up with a suitable disinfectant, which should be allowed to act for 30-
60 minutes, after which the area should be cleaned up with water and allowed
to dry. The hands should be washed using a suitable skin disinfectant, such as
Hibiscrub or Savlon.

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Hazard Symbols

The following symbols are used to identify definite classes of dangerous substances.
They can also be used in combinations. As a rule labels are limited most often to a
maximum of two symbols.

F: Flammable

Substances with flash point between 0°C and 21°C; gases that form
flammable mixtures with air under atmospheric conditions; substances that
release large amounts of flammable gases in contact with water or moist air;
substances that can ignite under atmospheric conditions at ambient
temperature without energy supply.

F+: Highly Flammable

Substances with flash point below 0°C and boiling point below 55°C under
atmospheric conditions.

E: Explosive

Any substance that can explode when ignited and any substance that is more
shock or friction sensitive than nitrobenzene.

T: Toxic

Substances that constitute a serious acute or chronic risk upon ingestion,

inhalation or skin contact. The lethal dose LD50 for ingestion by rats is
situated between 25 and 50 mg per kilogram body weight.

T+: Very Toxic

Substances that constitute a serious acute or chronic risk upon ingestion,

inhalation or skin contact. The lethal dose LD50 for ingestion by rats is
lower than 25 mg per kilogram body weight.

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O : Oxidizing

Substances that induce highly exothermic reactions when in contact with

other substances, notably flammable substances. As they very often contain
oxygen, they can maintain or induce fires. Non-oxygen containing oxidants
include chlorine and bromine.

Xn: Harmful

Substances that cause limited damage upon ingestion, inhalation or skin

contact. The lethal dose LD50 for ingestion by rats is situated between 200
and 2000 mg/kg body weight. LD50 values for inhalation or skin contact are
higher. Mutagenic substances are marked in addition with R-phrases R46,
R47, R48 or R49.

Xi: Irritant

Substances that cause inflammation upon direct, prolonged, or repeated

contact with skin or mucous membranes.

C: Corrosive

Substances that affect living tissue. Some substances become corrosive when
in contact with water or moist air.

Radioactive

Unstable isotopes whose nuclei emit particles of radiation.

N: Harmful to the Environment

Substances that immediately or in time endanger one or more

biocompartments.

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Biohazard

Hazardous Infectious Material:

May cause serious disease that result
in illness or death.

Other Toxic Effects: Poisonous substance not immediately dangerous to

health. May cause death or permanent damage as result of repeated
exposures. May be a skin or eye irritant. May be a skin or respiratory
sensitizer that produces a chemical allergy. May cause cancer, birth
defects, or sterility.

Eye Hazard: Eye protection required. Eyes require protection from

flying debris, such as sharp flakes of flint.

Splash/Eye Hazard: Full-face mask required. Whole face requires

protection from flying debris, such as sharp flakes of flint, or corrosive
liquids, such as acids

Spill/Cut Hazard: Clothing and body require protection from sharp

objects (such as flint flakes) or corrosive liquids, such as acids.

Respiratory Hazard: Lungs require protection from fine dust suspended

in air, such as dust from screening sediments.

Respiratory Hazard: Respirator required. Lungs require protection from

toxic fumes.

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Location exit Location emergency exit Direction to emergency exit

Location infirmary Direction to infirmary Location of firehose reel

Location of fire blanket Laser area Radio activity, Ionizing radiation

Area where no halogenated products shall be handled