School Of Medicine Biomedical Sciences

COSHH Risk Assessment Form

Before any experimental procedure involving the use of chemicals or reagents is undertaken, potential hazards must be identified and an assessment made
of the risks posed by these hazards in the work activity in which they are involved. This risk assessment is a legal requirement to comply with the Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH) Act and is the responsibility of the research workers supervising the research projects. Before undertaking
experimental procedures, all members of staff must read and sign the relevant CoSHH assessments

Title of Procedure:
Polymerase chain reaction -Standard and Real Time
Labs Invloved: All staff
Brief Description: Amplification of small amounts of DNA (or RNA) using dNTPs, appropriate primers and a polymerase. Restriction of
amplified product.

Procedure No: 22
Please note: Known carcinogens, teratogens and mutagens should only be used in consultation with senior staff and the Departmental
Safety Officer. All user must have read University supplementary Code of Practice for the use of such substances and comply with its
recommendations. It is important to realise that the use of certain carcinogens is banned by law.
Chemical/Reagent Hazard Stock Volume/ Emergency Risk level Precautions Disposal
Quantity Action
B Mercaptoethanol Highly toxic. Do not inhale <100ul If in contact with Medium Decanting from stock Place in a sealed
vapour. Irritant to skin and eyes skin or eyes, should always be container and put in
wash with done in a fume clinical waste bin
copious cupboardLaboratory
amounts of coats,eye protection
water. If inhaled and gloves must be
remove to fresh worn. **Warn
air and seek colleagues who are
medical advice allergic to this material
BEFORE use**
 Procedure No: 22
Dimethyl Sulphoxide (DMSO) Irritating to skin & eyes, harmful by <1ml If in contact with Medium Laboratory coats,eye Sink with copious
ingestion, penetrates skin. skin or eyes, protection and butyl amounts of water
Combustible, may evolve toxic wash with gloves must be worn
copious at all times. Use in
amounts of fume cupboard
water. If
ingested drink
plenty of water
and seek
medical advice

DNA/RNA template None / low risk ~2ul None Low Laboratory coats and Orange bin
gloves must be worn

dNTP's None / low risk 50mg-1ug None Low Laboratory coat and Orange bin
gloves must be worn

Formamide Toxic, avoid contact with skin & 200uM In case of Medium Laboratory coats,eye Sealed container
eyes causes irritation, harmful by accident or if protection and gloves and then to clinical
inhalation. May cause harm to the you feel unwell, must be worn at all waste
seek medical times.
advice
immediately
 Procedure No: 22
Glycerol May cause eye, skin, and 100ml Eyes: Flush Low Laboratory coat and Sink with copious
respiratory tract irritation. eyes with plenty gloves must be worn amounts of water
of water for at
least 15
minutes,
occasionally
lifting the upper
and lower
eyelids. If
irritation
develops, get
medi cal aid.
Skin: Flush skin
with plenty of
water for at
least 15
minutes while
removing
contaminated
clothing and
shoes. Get
medical aid if
irritation
develops or
persists. Wash
clothing before
reuse.
Ingestion: Never
give anything by
mouth to an
unconscious
person. Do NOT
induce vomiting.
If conscious and
alert, rinse
mouth and drink
2-4 cupfuls of
milk or water.
Get medical aid
if irritation or
symptoms
occur.
Inhalation:
Remove from
exposure and
move to fresh
air immediately.
If not breathing,
give artificial
respiration. If
breathing is
difficult, give
oxygen. Get
medical aid if
cough or other
symptoms
appear.
 Procedure No: 22
Mineral oil Skin: Prolonged and/or repeated 50ul/tube Eyes: Flush Low Laboratory coat and Orange bag
contact may cause irritation and/or eyes with plenty gloves must be worn
dermatitis. Ingestion: May cause of water for at
least 15
minutes,
occasionally
lifting the upper
and lower
eyelids. Get
medical aid
immediately.
Skin: Get
medical aid
immediately.
Flush skin with
plenty of water
for at least 15
minutes while
removing
contaminated
clothing and
shoes.
Ingestion: Do
not induce
vomiting. If
victim is
conscious and
alert, give 2-4
cupfuls of milk
or water. Never
give anything by
mouth to an
unconscious
person. Get
medical aid
immediately.
Inhalation: Get
medical aid
immediately.
Remove from
exposure and
move to fresh
air immediately.
If not breathing,
give artificial
respiration. If
breathing is
difficult, give
oxygen.
Notes to
Physician: Treat
symptomatically
and supportively.

Oligonucleotide primers None / low risk 10-50pmoles None Low Laboratory coat and Sink with copious
gloves must be worn amounts of water
 Procedure No: 22
Superscript III Kit Not known to be hazardous in 1 kit wash skin and Low wear buttoned uplab down sink with
amounts used eyes with coat copiuos amounts of
copious water
amounts of
water. Seek
medical help if
required. Mop
up spillages
with blue roll
and dispose of
in non-
hazardous
waste stream

2x Reddy mix PCR master mix none 1ml Mop up with Low wear buttoned up lab sink-copious
blue roll and coat eye protection amounts of water or
dispose of in and unpowdered offensive waste
offensive waste gloves
stream. Wash
skin and eyes
with copious
amounts of
water, remove
to fresh air and
seek medical
advice if
required
 Procedure No: 22
Nonidet-P40 Skin: Prolonged and/or repeated 50mL Eyes: Flush Low Laboratory coat and Orange bag
contact may cause irritation and/or eyes with plenty gloves must be worn
dermatitis. Ingestion: May cause of water for at
least 15
minutes,
occasionally
lifting the upper
and lower
eyelids. Get
medical aid
immediately.
Skin: Get
medical aid
immediately.
Flush skin with
plenty of water
for at least 15
minutes while
removing
contaminated
clothing and
shoes.
Ingestion: Do
not induce
vomiting. If
victim is
conscious and
alert, give 2-4
cupfuls of milk
or water. Never
give anything by
mouth to an
unconscious
person. Get
medical aid
immediately.
Inhalation: Get
medical aid
immediately.
Remove from
exposure and
move to fresh
air immediately.
If not breathing,
give artificial
respiration. If
breathing is
difficult, give
oxygen.
Notes to
Physician: Treat
symptomatically
and supportively.

Magnesium Chloride None <2ul 50mM soln None Low Laboratory coat and Sink with copious
gloves must be worn amounts of water
 Procedure No: 22
Reaction buffer 10X None 2ul None Low Laboratory coat and Sink with copious
gloves must be worn amounts of water

Taq DNA Polymerase, Vent Polymerase, Minor irritant to skin,eyes and 2ul If in contact with Low Laboratory coat and Sink with copious
Reverse Transcriptase mucous membranes skin, wash with gloves must be worn amounts of water
copious
amounts of
water

JumpStart TAQ Ready mix None 1ul None Low Laboratory coat and Sink with copious
gloves must be worn amounts of water

SYBR Green JumpStart Taq Ready Mix Irritant 2ul If in contact with Low Laboratory coat and Sink with copious
skin, wash with gloves must be worn amounts of water
copious
amounts of
water

RNase/Dnase free water None 1L None Low None Sink

DNA template Low 10ul In case of Low Laboratory coat and Orange bin
contact with gloves must be worn
skin /eyes wash
with plenty of
water

Taq 10xPCR buffer Low 10ul None Low Laboratory coat and Sink with copious
gloves must be worn amounts of water

Restriction enzymes Low 0.5ml Wash affected Low Wear gloves when Clinical waste bin.
area with 10% handling
virusolve

Mycoplasma PCR Test Kit low risk 40 tests In case of Low Laboratory coat and Orange Bin
contact with gloves should be worn
skin /eyes wash
with plenty of
water, If
swallowed seek
medical advice

Expand High Fidelity PCR System low risk 40 tests In case of Low Laboratory coat and Sink with copious
contact with gloves should be worn amounts of water
skin /eyes wash
with plenty of
water, If
swallowed seek
medical advice
 Procedure No: 22
GelRed nucleic acid stain None identified 100-1000µL mop spill sup Low Laboratory coat and set in gel-orange bin
with blue roll unpowdered gloves
and dispose of should be worn
in orange bin.
Eyes and skin:
Wash affected
areas with water
for 15 mins and
seek medical
advice

Whole transcriptase aplification kit Irritating to eyes, skin and 1 kit mop spills up Low wear lab coat, eye down sink with
respiratory system with blue roll, protection and copious amount sof
rinse skin and unpowdered gloves water
eyes with
copious
amounts of
water

RT-PCR grade water Non hazardous 15ml mop up with Low wear buttoned up lab down sink
blue roll and coat
dispose of in
non-hazardous
route

Solaris RNA spike control kit-hazardous Skin and eyes-severe irritation, 1 kit Flush skin and Medium wear buttoned up lab hazardous waste
components-3% Dichloroacetic Acid possible burns Ingestion and eyes with coat eye protection route
inhalation -toxic copious and unpowdered
amounts of gloves
water remove to
fresh air seek
medical advice.

Solaris RNA spike control kit-CapA eyes and skin -irritant possible 1 kit Flush skin and Medium wear buttoned up lab hazardous waste
burns. Inhalation and ingestion - eyes with coat eye protection route
toxic copious and unpowdered
amounts of gloves
water remove to
fresh air seek
medical advice.

Solaris RNA spike control kit-CapB Causes burns by all exposure 1 kit Flush skin and Medium wear buttoned up lab hazardous waste
routes, toxic eyes with coat eye protection route
copious and unpowdered
amounts of gloves
water remove to
fresh air seek
medical advice.

Solaris RNA spike control kit-Oxidiser soln causes burns, toxic 1 kit Flush skin and Medium wear buttoned up lab hazardous waste
eyes with coat eye protection route
copious and unpowdered
amounts of gloves
water remove to
fresh air seek
medical advice.
 Procedure No: 22
qScript CDNA Super Mix-hazardous Irritating to eyes and skin 1 kit Mop up with Low wear buttoned up lab sink-copious
componenets-Glycerol blue roll and coat eye protection amounts of water or
dispose of in and unpowdered offensive waste
offensive waste gloves
stream. Wash
skin and eyes
with copious
amounts of
water, remove
to fresh air and
seek medical
advice if
required
 Procedure No: 22
Good Laboratory Practice should be adhered at all times
• Common sense at all times!
• Never eat, drink or apply cosmetics in the laboratory.
• Wash your hands in the designated sinks whenever you have finished your lab work.
• Be familiar with the potential hazards involved in your work and take appropriate precautions.
• Wear protective clothing as needed, lab coats are a minimum.
• Keep your work area clean and tidy.
• Dispose of materials appropriately.
• Use appropriate care with electrical equipment.
• Use appropriate care with sharps
• Use appropriate care with substances of extreme temperatures (liquid nitrogen or hot liquids)
• Operate maintain and service all your equipment properly, if in doubt ask!
• Work in appropriate containment hoods where necessary.

Precautions to be taken:
PCR machine should be PAT tested.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES – FIRST AID

IF PERSONNEL ARE AFFECTED (fumes, contamination/contact)

TREATMENT TO BE ADOPTED

EYES
Irrigate with eye wash for at least 10 minutes. Obtain medical attention.

LUNGS
Remove from exposure. Rest and keep warm. In severe cases obtain medical attention.

SKIN
Drench skin with water. Remove contaminated clothing. In severe cases seek medical attention.

MOUTH
Wash mouth out thoroughly and give very small SIPS of water. Do not induce vomiting. Obtain medical attention.

Special Precautions:

Do NOT use formamide if pregnant.

Assessed by: John Anson Date: 11/04/2008 Approved by: Date approved: