Safety Forms
Team Safety Guidelines
- Handwashing: Hands must be washed upon entering and exiting the laboratory.
- Protective Measures: Protect eyes, mucous membranes, and any open cuts or wounds from biohazard materials.
- Food and Drinks: Eating or drinking in the laboratory is strictly prohibited.
- PPE: Wear gloves and splash-proof goggles at all times.
- Hair Safety: Tie back long or loose hair to avoid interference.
- Surface Disinfection: Disinfect all surfaces with 70% ethanol before starting work.
- Waste Disposal:
- Soak disposable tips, glassware, and tubes in a 10% bleach solution for 20 minutes before disposal.
- Discard growth plates in a biohazard container to be autoclaved.
- Equipment Checks: Ensure all equipment is functioning properly with no cracks, chips, or damaged cords. Report any issues immediately.
- Pipetting: Avoid letting the pipette tip touch the sides of containers.
- Tube Caps: Do not place tube caps upside down. Use masking tape to secure items in the cabinet if needed.
- Post-Work Cleaning: Clean all work areas with 70% ethanol after finishing work.
- Storage and Cleanliness: Clean and store all glassware and equipment properly before leaving the lab.
- Clear Walkways: Keep backpacks and stools to the side to ensure clear walkways.
- Proper Disposal: Follow appropriate disposal procedures for laboratory materials at all times.
Project Safety Guidelines
- PPE: Standard PPE (gloves, goggles, lab coats) must always be worn.
- Biosafety Cabinet Use: Use the biosafety cabinet to handle chemicals such as SYBR GOLD and DFHBI-1T.
- Surface Decontamination: Use disposable pipette tips and decontaminate all surfaces with 70% ethanol or a similar disinfectant before and after use.
- Contamination Awareness: When handling amplified nucleic acids, use separate pipettes for pre- and post-amplification areas to reduce contamination risk.
- Material Sterilization: Autoclave or disinfect all materials that come into contact with amplified DNA or RNA.
- Electrical Safety:
- Ensure the power supply is turned off and disconnected before handling the gel box, buffer solution, or electrophoresis apparatus.
- Do not touch the buffer or gel while the electrophoresis system is running to avoid electric shock.
- Pipette Tip Use: Always use filtered pipette tips to avoid contamination, and change tips between samples.
- Labeling: Clearly label all reagents, samples, and gels to avoid confusion or accidental misuse.
- UV Light Safety: If using UV light for visualizing nucleic acid bands, wear UV protective goggles or face shields.
- UV Light Exposure: Limit UV exposure by turning off the UV transilluminator when not in use.
Human Practices and Education
All participants in the Aptagenix project provided the required consent forms from themselves or their legal guardians. Safety training (FOBS 1+2) was provided by EPFL University before the experiments began.