Safety
Welcome to the Safety section of the website! Our BioBuilder team always practices safe labratory procedure.
We take safety very seriously.
E. Coli and Risk Group
The organism we work with is non-pathogenic k12 strain E. coli from Carolina Labs, which presents low individual and community risk. They are under Risk Group 1 of WHO's (World Health Organization) Classification of Infectious Microorganisms by Risk Group. Our Lab space would be listed as Risk Group 1 under WHO's Relation of Risk Groups to Biosafety Levels, Practices and Equipment. Sterilizing chemicals such as ethanol and bleach pose some danger to individuals, so gloves are worn. Such sterilizing chemicals are used to prevent the E. coli from escaping into the environment, but no serious danger will come if the transformed E. coli escapes. Also, the parts used for the transformation of the E. coli do not pose any threat to the environment.
In a Transformation Lab
If we decide to perform a transformation with our new plasmid, we will clear our workspace of any equipment that may cause injury, obstruction, or discomfort to the lab runners. We will then wash the work space with seventy-percent ethanol to kill any microorganisms in our workspace that may contaminate our apparatus and sample. Also, specific measures will be taken so that E. coli bacterium and other laboratory substances such as enzymes, buffers, and distilled water will not escape into the environment, regardless of whether if they are a critical part of the lab or in the laboratory workspace. We will also make sure to properly dispose of pipette tips after every use of a unique substance to prevent cross-contamination of any substances and waste products. Members of our laboratory are required to wear surgical gloves when transferring materials to apparatus such as agar plates, glass test-tubes, Erlenmeyer flasks, etc. Gloves were are worn when handling such substances directly such as sterile glass beads, in order to reduce in-lab contamination and possible external leakage.
Following NSTA Regulations
Along with following safety regulations of our own, we followed the NSTA (National Science Teacher's Association) guidelines for safe laboratory practices handling microbes. This is a recognized protocol that our school's science department uses for safety in a laboratory experiment.
Only handling microorganisms with known sources:
The only sources for such microorganisms should be from biologicla supply houses or university laboratories. The genus and species name should be known. Microorganisms should never be cultured off one's own body as they potenially are pathogenic.
Treating all microorganisms as potential pathogens:
Any microorgansim may potenially present pathogenic properties. Students with comprised immune systems should not participate in such laboratories. Petri dishes should also not be completely open to the air.
Personal protective equipment and hygiene:
Students should wear safety goggles, aprons, and gloves. Open-toed footware should not be worn, and any lose clothing or hair should be pulled back. Synthetic clothes is preferred as it does not burn as easily as natural materials.
Washing hands:
Hands should be washed before and after laboratory procedures to disinfect skin surfaces.
Disinfecting work areas before and after use:
Either 70% alchohol or 10% bleach should be used to disinfect work areas before and after laboratory steps. Ethanol and any paper towels used to clean up the ethanol should be kept away from hot objects such as burners, so that any fumes do not ignite.
Sterilizing equipment:
An autoclaving procedure should be used to disinfect equipment used before the labs. 70% ethanol and 10% bleach can also be used to sterilize.
Never pipet by mouth:
Liquid cultures should be transferred by a pipette bulb or a pipetting device.
Labeling everything clearly:
Cultures, media, chemicals, and disinfectants should be clearly marked by name. Any hazardous substances should be clearly marked as well.