Hellmann Lab Safety and Operational Guidelines Chris BrownJason

Hellmann Lab Safety and Operational Guidelines Chris Brown/Jason Dzurisin Sept. 10, 2007

Roles and Responsibilities l Lab Manager’s Responsibilities: l Ensure lab members know and follow chemical hygiene rules. l Monitor procurement, use and disposal of chemicals used in the lab. l Provide Risk Management and Safety with an annual inventory of hazardous materials. l Lab Member Responsibilities: l To plan and conduct all operations in accordance with the chemical hygiene procedures. l Develop good personal chemical hygiene habits. l Obtain information pertinent to equipment and material safety l Use personal protective equipment provided.

Hellmann Lab Chemical Hazards l Flammables l l l Ethanol Isopropanol Chloroform Phenol Isoamyl Alcohol l Acid/Base l l Acids l 37% Hydrochloric acid l Acetic Acid l EDTA Bases l Sodium hydroxide pellets l Potassium hydroxide

Other chemicals l Ethidium bromide l l Mutagenic Suspect carcinogen and teratogen l l Teratogenic = causes possible genetic birth defects Water l l Poses electrical hazard Poses physical hazard (slipping, etc. )

Safety Considerations l Wear gloves at all times when doing bench work l l Good general practice Prevents absorption of chemicals through skin Prevents contamination of samples Wear lab coat when appropriate l Chloroform/Phenol

Safety Considerations l Spill Response l Stairway A, 1 st floor l Acid, Base, Solvent kits l Procedures: 1. 2. 3. 4. l Inform Lab Manager Close off and mark spill area Lab Manager will treat spill Contact Risk Management Fire l Extinguisher: In lab, near exit l Procedures: 1. 2. Pull alarm (outside lab) Use extinguisher § 3. Only if fire is ‘manageable’ If larger, evacuate the building

Safety Considerations l Cuts/Scrapes l l Eye contamination l l First Aid kit in lab l Next to office l Inform Lab Manager Eye wash in lab l Tested every month 1. Squeeze handle 2. Keep eyes open 3. Inform Lab Manager Body Contamination l Safety showers l In bathrooms just outside of lab § 1. 2. 3. Tested every month Pull handle…area will not drain Take off contaminated clothing Inform Lab Manager

GLP Guidelines l Label all handmade solutions with: l l Contents Initials/Name Date l Bare minimum requirements under GLP rules l Unknown solutions will have to be discarded MSDS Forms l l l Updated MSDS paper database in file cabinet Better to know what you’re working with than not “Right to know”

GLP Guidelines l Keep hood as clean/organized as possible l l l Cluttered hood leads to reduced air flow Uncapped or open chemicals can mix dangerously Use certain chemicals in the hood l l l Chloroform/Phenol mixtures Ethidium Bromide BME: beta-mercaptoethanol

Operational Guidelines

-20° 4° Office Workstations/Whiteboard Meetings Mobile workstations Storage Dirty Work Microscopy Food Safe -80° Fume Hood Genetics Wet Chemistry Gel Electrophoresis Station Hellmann Lab Layout

Station 1: Genetics/Wet Chemistry l All stations are general use l Users are responsible for leaving workspace clean and organized at the end of each workday l Red Taped area is RNA Free Zone l All tips are autoclaved

Station 2: Meetings/Mobile workstations/Food Safe l Yellow taped area is food safe. No hazardous materials allowed. l Middle stations are free for mobile laptop use or other misc. projects l Also used for meetings

Station 3: PCR/Electrophoresis/Balance/Waterbath l Station is group use l Should be left clean at end of use l When not active, hardware should be turned off

Station 4: Dirty Work/Microscopy l Left zone for microscopy only l Right zone for dirty projects and materials sorting l Should be left organized at the end of each workday

Station 5: Office Workstations/Whiteboard l Total of 3 computer workstations l l l 1 Apple Powerbook 1 Gateway Desktop 1 IBM Thinkpad l Printer l Couch l Whiteboard

Station 5: Continued Office Workstations/Whiteboard l All workstations are group use l l l Desktops should be left clean User files should be stored virtually Please collect print jobs promptly; uncollected jobs will be recycled

Other considerations l When leaving: l l l Clean and organize workspace Double-check all equipment is off Make sure hood shade is down and light is off Wash hands “Check out” with remaining personnel If last to leave, turn off all lights and ensure door is locked