Foundation training in laboratory safety

1
Foundation training in laboratory safety

• Faculty Safety Managers
• Jan de Abela-Borg and Stefan Hoyle

2
Training program

• Module 1
• Principles of laboratory safety (including bio
  safety)
• Module 2
• Hazardous chemicals
• Module 3
• Gases, cryogenics and other hazards
• Assessment MCQs

3
Learning outcomes

• Course Aim
• Provide an understanding of how to work safely in
  the laboratory
• Module 1 Objectives
• Be able to define Hazard and risk
• Describe basics of risk assessment
• Explain the relationship between Bio Hazard
  Groups and Lab Containment levels
• List the routes of exposure
• Describe the mode of operation of Microbiological
  safety cabinets

4
What are we trying to prevent?
Injuries.........................
Images 2, 3, 4 5 were accidents that occurred
at other organisations not Imperial College London
2
4
5
3
5
Bad publicity..............
6
Damage to equipment and facilities................
7
Exposing others....................
8
Compliance requirements
UK legislation
Faculties and Depts
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Summary (1)

• Lab safety is important to prevent harm to
  individuals, equipment or facilities, the
  environment or the public image of the
  organisation (and therefore funding).
• The College follows the Regulations of UK law as
  set out in the UK Health and Safety at Work Act
• Students are treated as staff for the purposes of
  health and safety

10
Which one of these groups of answers illustrates
good lab practice?

• Writing tidily in lab book, wearing labcoat and
  safety glasses, turning off lights when leaving
  the lab
• No eating or drinking, wearing labcoat and safety
  glasses, knowing correct waste routes
• Reporting accidents and near misses, leaving door
  open when working alone, cover cuts on hands with
  gloves
• No eating or drinking in the lab, leaving door
  open when working alone, wearing disposable
  gloves when transporting samples between labs
• Asking the cleaners to clean up chemical spills,
  turning off lights when leaving lab, wash hands
  before leaving lab

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Good lab practice

• No eating, drinking, applying cosmetics or mouth
  pipetting
• Housekeeping
• Storing or using personal items in the lab (food,
  iPods, presents etc)
• Responsibility for work and the safety of others
• Labcoat, safety glasses and gloves
• Good glove practice and hand hygiene
• Covering cuts or grazes as appropriate
• Lab coat cleaning
• Dealing with spillages
• Reporting accidents and near misses
• Removing waste via the correct route and
  recycling

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Risk assessment process......
Something with the potential to cause harm
Identify the hazard
Identify who may be harmed
The likelihood and severity of harm occurring
Evaluate the risk and identify control measures
Record the assessment
Review the assessment
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Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Regulations
hazardous substances Chemicals (incl
toxins) Carcinogens Biological agents Any
other substance hazardous to health inc wood
dust, plant toxins, cleaning materials, oils and
plenty more!)
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COSHH risk assessment general provisions

• Assess health risks
• Prevent or control exposure
• Use control measures
• Maintain, examine and test control measures
• Monitor exposure
• Health surveillance
• Information, instruction and training for persons
  who may be exposed
• Arrangements to deal with accidents, incidents
  and emergencies

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COSHH preventing exposure
1st fundamental principle prevent
exposure Elimination Dont do it or
Substitution - substituting it with another
substance which presents less, or no risk
using another process which
doesnt create a hazardous form of
that substance.
Segregation - If substitution is not possible
then start by considering whether the work is
adequately isolated from other staff,
students, contractors or visitors.
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No segregation.......increased risk of
exposure..........
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COSHH controlling exposure

• 2nd fundamental principle control exposure
• Engineering control Using equipment and lab
  design to prevent exposure for example,
  microbiological safety cabinet, enclosed
  centrifuge rotors, non absorbent lab
  furniture, laser interlocks, extraction for
  solder etc.
• Procedural control Ensuring those doing the
  work are competent, follow procedures and
  where appropriate know emergency actions.
• Management control Monitoring and reviewing
  controls to ensure implementation, for
  example, health surveillance, equipment
  maintenance, providing training, reviewing
  assessments.

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COSHH controlling exposure
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COSHH Biological agents
All biological agents must be classified in one
of four Hazard Groups
Increasing hazard to human health
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COSHH - biological containment
21
Which group of criteria should be used to place
human pathogens in the COSHH hazard groups?

• Country of origin, virulence, concentration of
  culture
• Motility of microorganism, infectious dose, route
  of exposure
• Type of microorganism, route of exposure, country
  of origin
• Infectious dose, availability of treatment,
  survivability
• E) Incubation period, infectious dose, motility
  of microorganism

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Summary (2)

• Risk assessment and planning is a essential part
  of safe and good science.
• All hazards must be considered when assessing the
  risk from lab work.
• Human pathogens are segregated into one of four
  hazard groups and must be used in a equivalent or
  higher containment level lab.
• COSHH requires that exposure from substances
  hazardous to health is either prevented or
  controlled

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Routes of lab infection

• Ingestion
• Eating, drinking and smoking in the laboratory
• Mouth pipetting
• Transfer of micro-organisms to mouth by
• contaminated fingers or articles
• Skin (percutaneous)
• Skin puncture by needle or other sharp
• Bites and scratches by animals
• Existing cuts or scratches
• Conjunctivae
• Splashes of infectious material into the eye
• Transfer to eye by contaminated fingers or
  articles
• Inhalation
• Inhalation of airbourne organisms

24
Which of these measures help control percutaneous
exposure?

• Replace sharp needles with blunt needles /
  re-sheathing needles after use / using correct
  disposal methods
• Using correct disposal methods / wearing
  disposable nitrile gloves / using plastic labware
  instead of glass
• Using plastic labware instead of glass /
  replacing sharp needles with blunt / using
  correct disposal methods
• Wearing disposable nitrile gloves / re-sheathing
  needles / using correct disposal methods

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Controlling aerosols droplets
Primary control measure
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Microbiological safety cabinets (MSC)

• Required for work at containment level 2 and 3 if
  the work presents a risk of aerosol exposure
• Must be correctly selected (type and make)
• Must be correctly installed
• Must be correctly used
• Must be correctly maintained

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How do MSCs work?

• On the handout illustrate using arrows the
  directions of airflows in the 3 different classes
  of MSCs

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MSC - class I
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MSC - class II
Exhaust HEPA filter
DownflowHEPA filter
USER
Grill
Grill
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MSC class III
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MSC airflow sensitivity
Do not have another worker at an adjacent bench
Allow adequate room for workers at nearby benches
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Differences between a MSC and a fume cupboard
Microbiological safety cabinet
Fume cupboard
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Using a MSC
Proper use before you start workProper use
whilst at the cabinetProper use after
completion of the work
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MSC users - training

• What you must know if using a MSC
• Classification of cabinets
• Appropriate and inappropriate use of cabinets
• Mode of operation and function of all controls
  and indicators
• Limitations of performance
• How to work safely at the cabinet
• What to do if it stops working
• How to decontaminate after use
• Principles of airflow and operator protection
  tests

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Summary (3)

• Identifying the route of exposure will help to
  identify the correct control measures
• Controlling exposure at source protects the
  individual and others who may could be affected.
• Controlling biological exposure via inhalation
  can be achieved by using MSCs
• If using a MSC ensure you are using the correct
  class (I, II or III) and get appropriate
  training.

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Human blood and tissues
Main infection hazard is HIV, HepB and HepC
37
Which of these donors can you consider to be safe
in terms of handling their blood?
1
3
2
A) 1 3 B) 1 C) 3 D) None E) All
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Universal precautions for human blood and tissue

• Get Hepatitis B vaccination
• Transport samples in robust containers. Use
  secondary containment.
• Wear gloves, labcoat and safety glasses when
  handling body fluids
• Use a MSC if generating aerosols or splashes
• Minimise use of sharps. If sharps are required
  use them
• properly
• Dispose of waste appropriately
• Know what to do in the event of an exposure
• (post exposure prophylaxis)

39
Which of these could you import into the UK
without prior consultation with College safety
personnel or Regulatory authorities?

• A) Oak leaves from Chernobyl
• B) GM modified mouse from Beijing
• C) Aphids from Seattle
• D) Glowing gonad mosquitoes from Nairobi
• E) Mouse Ear Cress from Rome

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Importing materialinto the UK
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Genetically modified organisms
What is GM? Micro-organisms, plants and animals
that have had their heritable genetic material
altered by artificial means.
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GMO Regulations (contained use)

• Assessment
• Notification
• Containment
• Emergency
• Plans
• Waste control
• Report accidents

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What is GM?
e.g. bacterial expression system.....
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GM assessment and class
Requires that all GMOs are classified in one of
four Classes
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
Increasing hazard to human health or the
environment
Containment Level
1
2
3
4
Classification of GMM determined by Containment
Level required
45
College procedures for GM projects
All GM work must be assessed by the relevant GM
Safety Committee BEFORE generation, use or
storage of any GM material. If you are using GM
material ALWAYS ask to see the associated GM
assessment If using Class 2 or 3 GM material you
will need to be on Bio-agents health screening
provided by College Occupational Health. Also
remind your supervisor that the GM Form C needs
to be updated
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Summary (4)

• Treat all human body fluids or tissues as
  potentially infected
• Before importing any material into the UK check
  with a FSM or the Safety Dept
• GM material must be assessed and approved before
  it is cultured, stored, used or disposed of
• GM classification is based on the risk to human
  health and the environment