Safety

Risk Identification

We have dealt with and continue to deal with dangerous chemicals and other hazards. When it comes to protocols, we familiarize ourselves with the reagents we will be using and plan our protocols around potentially hazardous chemicals such as NaOH and HCl to name a few. This also applies to any disposables we use such as serological pipettes or plates, we make sure to dispose of them accordingly.

Risk Management

When it comes to safety, we take many precautions to minimize the danger a lab member is exposed to as much as possible. We were all required to take a safety quiz for training before even stepping in the lab. Whenever we are in the lab, we always wear proper PPE which consists of a lab coat, gloves, and safety glasses. If we decide to come into the lab in our free time or stay later, we also make sure that there is a minimum of 2 people in the lab at all times. This is so that if one person were to be exposed to any kind of dangerous substance, the partner could help guide and assist them to a proper safety station.

When it comes to hazardous reagents, we always use them under a fume hood and try to maintain a sterile environment when doing so. We also do not allow any food or beverages in the lab, not only to ensure the sterility of our protocols, but for the safety of the lab members as well. When running these protocols, we always dispose of waste in their proper containers such as glass waste and biohazard waste. Finally, when we are done running these protocols, we make sure to unplug any machines we may have used, especially the hot plates.