At the beginning of the camp, we were informed about the courses, ceremonies, and precautions, particularly regarding the potential risks associated with dangerous chemicals, equipment (e.g., centrifuges, PCR machines), electrical systems, and network facilities.

Lab Coats and Gloves

Lab coats are strictly prohibited from being taken out of the experimental area. We were advised to remove our lab coats every time we leave the lab, whether to use the bathroom or go to living areas. Lab coats should not be worn outside the lab, including the canteen or meeting rooms. Contaminated gloves should be discarded immediately after meeting potentially harmful experimental materials, such as nucleic acid dyes, buffers, extraction reagents, or strong acids and bases. Direct or indirect contact between the skin and experimental materials should be avoided. This includes avoiding contact between bare skin and contaminated gloves, lab coats, or goggles.

Hazardous Chemicals

Some materials, such as nucleic acid dyes used in electrophoresis and reagents like TRIZOL for nucleic acid extraction, contain harmful chemicals that are suspected carcinogens (i.e., they can cause mutations and increase the risk of cancer). Volatile materials must be handled in fume hoods to prevent harmful vapors from affecting lab personnel.

Protective Precautions

1. Gloves
Disposable nitrile gloves were provided by the lab and should be removed and discarded after contacting any potential contaminants from solutions, reagent kits, or lab surfaces. Direct contact with any objects, such as containers or instruments, with bare hands in the lab is discouraged to avoid contamination from hazardous materials.

2. Lab Coats
Lab coats should be worn not only to protect your clothes but also to prevent contamination from toxic, staining, or corrosive substances. They are also convenient when handling horticultural tasks, such as preparing growth substrates.

3. Sharp Objects
Sharp objects, such as needles and scalpel blades, should be handled carefully and discarded into specialized containers.

Biological Safety

If handling live bacterial or viral cultures, follow Biosafety Level (BSL) protocols appropriate to the microorganism's risk level. All biohazardous waste should be discarded in autoclave bags and sterilized before disposal. Any accidental exposure to biological agents should be immediately reported.

Electrophoresis is one of the more dangerous parts of molecular biology experiments because it involves dyes that bind to nucleic acids, which can potentially bind to human DNA and cause mutations or cancer. Fortunately, safer alternatives to traditional nucleic acid dyes have been developed, reducing the risks involved in these procedures.

However, it is still crucial to follow lab safety rules, avoiding direct contact with objects like agarose gels or instruments. All electrophoresis procedures are conducted in separate rooms to prevent contamination of the regular wet lab area. Gloves should be discarded immediately after handling nucleic acid dyes.

In molecular biology labs, heat sources are generally closed and do not involve open flames, which minimizes the risk. However, when strict sterile conditions are required, alcohol burners may be used. Care should be taken to prevent fire accidents and burns.

An inoculation tool sterilizer, which heats to over 200°C, may also be used to sterilize equipment. Professional supervision ensures that proper safety protocols are followed to avoid burns.

When using cryogenic sources, such as dry ice or liquid nitrogen, or when handling samples stored in ultra-low temperature freezers (as low as -80°C), frostbite is a risk. Insulated gloves should be worn when dealing with these materials.

Fume hoods must be used not only for volatile chemicals but also for operations involving the generation of aerosols, such as centrifugation or pipetting of hazardous reagents. Additionally, regular checks of airflow rates should be conducted.

Hazardous Chemicals

In the lab, hazardous chemicals that are harmful, corrosive, carcinogenic, volatile, oxidative, or flammable are frequently used. For example, during pH adjustments of culture media, diluted sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid solutions may be used, and gloves must be worn.

Disinfectants, such as ethanol (flammable) and sodium hypochlorite (oxidative and corrosive), are commonly used. Though the risk of skin damage is low, gloves are still recommended.

Some reagents used in nucleic acid extraction kits may contain chemicals that cause protein denaturation and are toxic if ingested. Therefore, eating, drinking, or tasting any substances in the lab is strictly prohibited. It is recommended to wear protective goggles to prevent exposure to chemical spills.

Chemical Waste Disposal

All chemical waste disposal must follow lab-specific guidelines as well as environmental safety regulations. Hazardous waste, including nucleic acid stains, strong acids/bases, and volatile chemicals, should be disposed of in properly labeled hazardous waste containers. These containers should be stored in designated areas and picked up by certified disposal services. For some reagents, waste neutralization prior to disposal may be required.

Cryogenic and Chemical Storage

Always ensure proper storage for cryogenic materials like liquid nitrogen. These materials should be kept in well-ventilated areas to prevent the risk of asphyxiation. For flammable or volatile chemicals, use flame-proof cabinets. Only small working quantities should be kept at lab benches, while bulk storage must be handled in compliant safety containers.

Emergency Procedures

It is crucial to establish protocols for potential accidents, such as chemical spills, electrical hazards, or fire outbreaks. In the case of a chemical spill, the area should be evacuated and reported to lab supervisors. The correct chemical spill kit must be used to neutralize and clean up. For burns or cryogenic accidents, affected areas should be rinsed immediately under cool running water, and the incident should be reported. All accidents, no matter how minor, must be reported to the lab supervisor.