SUBJECT: Lab safety
DATE: 3/95; 4/97


We currently run a safety lab for the first lab for all
of our first year biology students. We have been using
the "Quincy" film from Fisher Scientific. This is not
specific to biology labs or to a school setting and therefore
we are looking for an alternative. Does anyone know of
a good media presentation that is availabe in vhs, or disc format?

Thanks .

Nancy McInerney
Red Deer College
Red Deer Alberta


There is a video produced by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute that we have
used quite a bit. It is mostly oriented towards problems in a biochemistry/
molecular biology laboratory, but does present some very impressive examples
of problems. It is not quite so clear about solutions, and that provides a
good opportunity for discussion in the class.

Joel B. Sheffield
Biology Department
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA 19122
jbs@sgibio.chem.temple.edu or
v5415e@TEMPLEVM.bitnet
(215) 204 8854


Depending on your application, a very good video (VHS) is "Practicing Safe
Science" from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. This is oriented to
cell and molecular biology techniques like electrophoresis, centrifugation,
radiolabelled compounds work, but also covers melting agar in microwaves and
general good lab practice (cleaning up spills, watching where you are going,
working methodically and purposefully). It was available free for the
asking, but I will have to dig a bit to get the exact address.

John Porter
porter@hslc.org



Currently, the Hughes Medical Institute offers two free videos regarding
safety in the lab:

1. Practicing Safe Science (good for safety in the biochemistry and
molecular bio lab)

2. Controlling Your Risks: HIV in the Research Laboratory (good for tips on
handling infectious material).

Copies (more than one if needed) may be obtained by writing to:

Dr. W. Emmett Barkley
Director of Laboratory Safety
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
4000 Jones Bridge Road
Chevy Chase, MD 20815-6789

I think you'll find these very useful.

George

George Edick
RPI - Dept. Biology
Troy, NY 12180
edickg@rpi.edu

Discussion 4/97

 

We are in the midst of revising safety protocols for our freshman biology
labs. The students do computer simulations in some labs, dissections in
others, and work with chemicals just like a chemistry lab at other times.
We are having difficulty getting a clear statement regarding what types of
safety procedures are required in the different sorts of labs.
 
Does anyone out there have experience with the specific legal aspects of
this?
 
Does anyone have suggestions as to where we could go for more specific
information?
 
Does anyone have a set of protocols that they would be willing to let us
look at?
 
Thanks.
 
Lee Christianson
Dept. Biol. Sci.
Univ. of the Pacific
Stockton, CA 95211
lchristianso@uop.edu
 
 
Hi Lee,
I am a microbiologist at San Diego State University - Biology Dept. We
have an Environmental Health and Safety Dept on campus that has been
conducting lab safety protocol meetings for the university for a few years
to inform every department of the Cal OSHA regulations, and the Biology
dept has its own meeting once a year to keep everyone informed.
I am also a Cal. State Clinical Laboratory Scientist and use the clinical
guidelines in lab exercises where appropriate.
It is my understanding that there are no safety protocols written for
students in the classroom. The protocols are written for employees, but
because we want to protect and teach our science students, we enforce the
OSHA employee regulations.We practice the Biohazardess West Safety
Guidelines and Hazardess Chemical Waste guidelines, the employee Right to
Know (of dangerous materials) guidelines.
You might want to see if you have an EH&S Dept. Also, you might want to
get in touch with a local clinical lab and ask for a copy of the Blood
Borne Pathogen guideline and of course get in touch with OSHA.
I have been looking for a good video on safety in the microbiology
laboratory and have not found one yet and am considering making my own when
I have time (Ha!). Anyway, I have found a list of videos that are
available from CDC, but haven't sent for them, yet.
There is a video available from the Howard Hughes Foundation called
Practicing Safe Science - which has safety proceedures in a biotechnology
type laboratory.
Hope this helps, please feel free to ask me any questions.
Marlene
 
Marlene DeMers
 
 
At 03:00 PM 23-04-97 -0400, you wrote:
 
[Comments follow each paragraph]
 
>We are in the midst of revising safety protocols for our freshman biology
>labs. The students do computer simulations in some labs, dissections in
>others, and work with chemicals just like a chemistry lab at other times.
>We are having difficulty getting a clear statement regarding what types of
>safety procedures are required in the different sorts of labs.
>
>Does anyone out there have experience with the specific legal aspects of
>this?
 
Legal aspects should probably be run by your Departmental Safety Committee,
University Safety Department, Lawyers, etc.
 
>
>Does anyone have suggestions as to where we could go for more specific
>information?
 
Most of my rules have been developed based on "common sense" combined with
our departmental safety manual, safety rules used in chemistry and
University rules. You might try OSHA.
 
 
>
>Does anyone have a set of protocols that they would be willing to let us
>look at?
 
During the first lab students view a 10 min safety video, get an
orientation on how to use and location of safety equipment, and are given
the rules below.
 
Here are the rules I've placed in our general biology facility:
 
Note that not all rules are strictly related to safety.
 
SAFETY RULES AND OTHER REGULATIONS FOR 1003 [Our Gen Biol lab room number]
 
1. A. Students are required to bring safety glasses or goggles to lab.
Glasses with side shields are acceptable but normal eyeglass wearers must
wear goggles or glasses with splash guards over their normal glasses.
(Safety glasses must be marked with the designation Z87.1 on the temple.)
[See comment at end.]
 
B. You must wear safety glasses/goggles when
- using any squirting device such as a pipette, syringe, or eyedropper.
- heating test tubes in boiling water.
- using strong acids, bases, oxidants or other hazardous chemicals.
- during any operation when splashing of chemicals is a hazard.
- when performing animal dissections.
- whenever a TA, lab supervisor, or instructor requests it.
 
2. No shorts or open toed shoes in the lab.
 
3. Be aware that biology labs use stains, chemicals, etc. that can damage
or ruin your clothing. Plastic aprons are available; please return them if
they are unsoiled.
 
4. No food, drinks, or smoking in the lab.
 
5. You should know the locations and operation of the
- eyewash.
- safety shower.
- fire blanket, fire alarm, fire extinguisher, and fire exit.
- broken glass receptacle.
- building evacuation route.
 
6. Students are not allowed in the lab unsupervised.
 
7. Report all spills, broken glassware, broken equipment, and injuries
(even minor ones) to the lab instructor and Pat Meyers [our departmental
coordinator] in the Department of Biological Sciences office (room 209).
[We have a University Level "Incident Report" to fill out when injuries
occur].
 
8. Do not operate instruments without prior approval from TA.
 
9. Do not provoke or tease live animals and fish. Do not feed animals or
fish or water the plants unless instructed to do so.
 
10. Do not open cabinets and drawers in the lab.
 
11. No students are allowed in the prep room.
 
12. Dispose of broken glassware, dissected specimens, wet trash, plant
materials and chemical slurries in marked buckets.
 
13. Check for special disposal instructions of wet chemicals, otherwise
dump in sink and flush with copious amounts of cold water.
 
14. You are expected to leave your lab space clean and neat for the next
class - this includes: washing glassware, straightening supplies,
returning excess chemicals and specimens, and wiping down your lab bench.
 
15. Look for and follow any additional posted instructions.
 
On Safety glasses: Chemistry requires students to bring safety glasses to
lab. We've tried that, but since they don't need them for every lab they
get tired of bring them "just in case." We also have unplanned experiments
and or visitors. Hence, I've purchased a couple dozen sets of glasses for
student use. I have to replace lost/stolen/broken ones occassionally, but
no one can use the excuse "I don't have my glasses with me." Also, if I
can confine hazardous activities away from the main benches, I'll put
glasses at that station and tell people to wear them only when performing
those activities.
 
The biggest problem with safety glasses is to get the students to wear
them. Unfortunetly the TA's don't always wear them so it's hard to crack
down on the students. In our department, the Faculty are placed in the
position of determining exceptions to the above posted rules.
 
Other Personal protection devices: We've started providing latex gloves
for all dissections and other times when they are handling hazardous
chemicals. Disposable aprons are available as well.
 
Work stations: I try to set up workstations with hazardous chemicals away
from the main bench. I also try to set them up at the stand up demo bench
since they are less likely to spill stuff in their lap.
 
TA training: we have a departmental training checklist. One of the things
I try to tell new TA's is how to handle an emergency (who to call, when to
call). I've seen a couple of emergencies were the TA lost their head and
panicked.
 
Staff training: We have several staff that are trained in CPR and first aid.
 
Other things: I try to elimate potential hazards - I'm trying to get away
from glass pipettes in favor of pipettors with disposable plastic tips. I
remind them (students and TA's) not to lift full aqaria (I should put that
in the rules above). Several labs have UTA's in them, they help provide
eyes for spotting unsafe activities. Dispose of cracked and chipped
glassware. Switch to non-Hg Thermometers.
 
Finally, at the begining of the lab the TA reminds the students of
hazardous activities in that days labs; both reminding them specific rules
above or teaching them new techniques (putting pipettes in pitpette pumps
for example).
>
>Thanks.
>
>
>Lee Christianson
>Dept. Biol. Sci.
>Univ. of the Pacific
>Stockton, CA 95211
>lchristianso@uop.edu
>
>
Jeff Lewin, Lab Associate http://www.bio.mtu.edu/perspage/jclewin/home.html
jclewin@mtu.edu Dept Biol Sci, Michigan Technological Univ
906.487.3435/Fax 906.487.3167 Houghton MI 49931


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