Safety
Safety In our iGEM project, safety always comes first in our experiments to protect laboratory personnel and those who have received vaccinations. We consider several aspects, including team safety training, policies, supervisor expectations, lab safety, and bio-safety ethical considerations. Our goal is to minimize safety incidents during the experiment. In the event of a safety incident, we will make every effort to ensure the safety of all laboratory personnel and the laboratory environment.
Team Safety Training On the morning of the first day of the experiment, we didn't head straight to the lab. Instead, our tutor and teaching assistant helped us learn the laboratory's basic safety regulations and precautions. They ensured that we deeply understood these precautions to guarantee the safety of the experimental personnel, equipment, and environment. We also gained a detailed understanding of laboratory safety policies, and in combination with the precautions of the hospital experiment, we improved or optimized some policies. We will introduce these improvements in detail in the subsequent Lab safety section. Additionally, we have a team leader and an excellent teaching assistant who will assist us in experiments and supervise the entire process to ensure our safety. They will also provide timely help in case of possible security problems. We hope and are pleased that there were no safety incidents during this experiment
Lab safety
1. Requirements before and after the experiment:

(1) The public cabinet on the second floor is for students to store lab coats and other items that cannot be brought into the laboratory. The cabinet door should be locked, and it should be kept neat and clean.

(2) Lab coats must be worn when entering the experimental area. They should not be placed on the laboratory desktop or chair at will.

(3) After each day of experiment/activity, clean the table, dispose of leftover food packaging, and ensure the table is restored to its original state before leaving.

(4) Taking photos is not allowed in the non-exclusive laboratory area.

2. Experimental process requirements:

(1) Lab coats, masks, and gloves must be worn when entering and leaving the laboratory.

(2) hand over mobile phones to the teaching assistant for unified storage during the experiment. Mobile phones can be used during experiment breaks.

(3) In the laboratory, notebooks and Pads can be brought in to record experimental notes. However, electronic devices must not be used for unrelated activities during the experiment.

(4) Try to complete the daily experiment within the training time. If not finished, an appropriate extension is allowed, but it should not exceed 18:00.

(5) Do not create loud noises in the experimental area or disrupt the laboratory's everyday inspection work

(6) The experimental activities should be conducted in the designated laboratory area. Do not enter other areas to avoid exposure to clinical infectious specimens. If individuals go to other public areas alone, a teacher must accompany them.

(7) The leading teacher must train and approve laboratory instruments for use. The leading teacher's guidance is necessary when using platform instruments. No platform instruments should be used without permission.

(8) Do not use public facilities, including shower heads, without permission.

(9) Swipe the card to enter and exit each area, close the door promptly, and do not leave the door open for convenience or block the door bolt.

3. Dietary requirements

(1) No eating or drinking is allowed in the experiment area.

(2) Lab coats must be removed if eating or resting during training, and individuals should leave the experiment area

(3) Lunch must be taken at the restaurant on the first floor; eating in various public areas is prohibited.

(4) Smoking is prohibited in non-designated areas.
Bio-safety In this experiment, we utilized bacteria such as Escherichia coli and proteins. The bacteria-related experiments were conducted in a highly sterile workbench to ensure laboratory safety. Furthermore, the chemicals used, including sodium chloride, tryptone, kanamycin, etc., were handled safely to prevent leaks. For the disposal of waste liquids, we utilized specialized equipment to treat them instead of disposing of them improperly. Our projects always prioritize biosafety and environmental safety.
Conclusion Safety has always been an integral part of our experiments. All our research and experiments are conducted with a focus on safety, ethics, and social responsibility. We are pleased that the experiment can be performed safely. Moving forward, we will continue to monitor the experiment to ensure the safety of our project.
🔝