Basic Safety Requirements

1
Basic Safety Requirements

• Do not smoke anywhere in the buildings.
• Familiarise yourself with emergency instructions,
  escape routes and emergency exits.
• Never block traffic routes by depositing or
  leaving objects.
• Stairways, emergency exits and escape routes must
  be kept free at all times.
• Do not secure fire exit doors in the open
  position.
• Switch off electrical equipment at the end of a
  working day.
• Close windows and doors prior to leaving.
• For your own safety, you are advised not to work
  alone at night or at weekends.
• Make sure that the work you do does not endanger
  others or yourself.
• Familiarise yourself with the EMBL Safety Policy.

2
EMBL Safety Policy
http//www.embl.org/staffonly/services/estate/safe
ty/safety_policyHH.pdf
3
Fire, Evacuation First Aid

• Report fire or accident by

• pressing nearest fire-alarm button in case of
  fire

• contacting a first aid helper in case of
  accident or

• dialing 2500 in any case of emergency

Dont panic - Keep calm - Dont take any risks
4
Fire, Evacuation First Aid
Supply the following information
Where is the accident? What happened? Are persons
injured? How many? Condition of the victim(s)?
Unconsciousness? Wait for further inquiries!

• Warn all people in your immediate vicinity.

• Remove victim from danger zone if possible
  without risking
• your own safety.

5
In Case of Evacuation

• Exit the building following the escape route
  signs and proceed to the meeting point
• outside the main entrance in the car park in
  front of Building 25 b
• between building 32 and 33 for Building 3
  (Helgoland)
• Dont panic.
• Dont run on your way out.
• Dont use the elevator danger of power
  failure.
• Follow the instructions of the fire wardens, the
  DESY emergency response team and the fire
  brigade.
• Dont return to the building until authorised by
  the coordinator at the meeting point.

6
General Laboratory Safety Rules

• Mouth pipetting is prohibited.
• It is not allowed to eat, drink, smoke, apply
  cosmetics or handle contact lenses in the
  laboratories.
• Foods and drinks must never be stored in
  laboratories and cold rooms.
• Working areas must be kept in good order.
• The quantity of cardboard boxes and paper in the
  laboratories should be minimised.
• Laboratories should always be cleared up to
  permit thorough cleaning.
• It is the duty of the supervisor to ensure that
  the laboratory is in good order and that the
  workers are instructed and trained appropriately.

7
General Laboratory Safety Rules

• Familiarise yourself with the location of

emergency showers,
eye washing equipment,
first aid kit.
8
Personal Protective Equipment

• Closed shoes, a lab coat and safety goggles must
  be worn when handling hazardous chemicals,
  radiochemicals or pathogenic biological agents.
• Depending on the hazard, appropriate gloves must
  be worn. Gloves must be removed before touching
  handles, switches, taps or leaving the
  laboratory.

9
General Laboratory Safety Rules

• Glass pipettes should be replaced by plastic
  pipettes whenever possible in order to minimise
  the risk of injuries.
• The use of sharp items (syringes, hypodermic
  needles) should be avoided whenever possible.
• Needles must not be recapped.
• Sharp objects must not be placed in standard
  waste bins but into multi-safe boxes.

10
Microwave Ovens in the Lab

• Do not place microwaves at or above eye level.
• Never heat alcoholic solutions or flammable
  liquids in a microwave oven because of the risk
  of explosion!
• Do not heat formaldehyde or acids (e. g. acetic
  acid) in the microwave oven as harmful vapours
  would be released.
• Do not heat agarose with ethidium bromide but
  melt the agar first, add ethidium bromide to the
  cooled down agarose.
• Do not cover vessels with aluminium foil.
• Use glass beads or an abrasive glass rod to
  prevent sudden uneven boiling.
• After heating, wait for a moment before opening
  the door of the oven in order to avoid sudden
  boiling caused by vibration or temperature shock.
• Place the vessel gently on the bench.
• Wear safety goggles or use a face protection
  shield when opening the oven.

11
Chemical Risk Symbols
Physical-chemical properties
F Extremely Flammable F Highly Flammable
O - Oxidizing
E - Explosive
Toxicological properties
Xn Harmful
Xi - Irritant
T - Very Toxic T - Toxic
C - Corrosive
N Harmful to the environment
12
Toxic Chemicals
Toxic T - Toxic by inhalation (R 23), in
contact with skin (R 24) or if swallowed (R
25) T - Very toxic by inhalation (R 26),
in contact with skin (R 27) or if swallowed (R 28)
Mutagenic May cause heritable genetic damage (R
46)
Carcinogenic May cause cancer (R 45) May cause
cancer by inhalation (R 49)
Teratogenic (toxic for reproduction) May impair
(male/female) fertility (R 60) Harmful effects on
the development of the embryo (R 61)
13
Rules for Handling Chemicals Safely

• Before using any chemical inform yourself about
  the risks associated with the chemical and the
  appropriate preventative measures to take (read
  MSDS Sheets).
• Use substitutes that are less harmful or use
  ready-prepared solutions or tablets if available.
  
• Perform all work with hazardous chemicals under
  the fume hood.
• All containers of chemicals, including waste
  containers, have to be properly labelled.
• Highly toxic and toxic substances are to be kept
  in such a way that only qualified and instructed
  persons have access to them.
• The condition of all chemicals stored in the lab
  should be checked at least once a year.
• Chemicals which are no longer needed or have
  become unsuitable for use are to be disposed of.

14
Biological Safety Officers at EMBL Hamburg

• Biological Safety Officer Corrina Gorny
• Project leader S1 (25a) Young-Hwa Song/Vivian
  Pogenberg
• Project leader S2 (25a) Young-Hwa Song/Vivian
  Pogenberg
• Project leader S1/S2 (Building 3) Young-Hwa Song

15
Biological Safety
non-hazardous
Natural organisms
hazardous
non-hazardous
Genetically modified organisms
hazardous
Depending on the hazard they present all
bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, algae and
mosses are classified into four risk groups.
16
Classification

• Group 1
• Organisms and viruses presenting no risk to
  human health and/or environment if standard
  hygiene is maintained.
• Risk group 2
• Organisms and viruses which may cause disease to
  human health and/or environment - the risk is
  estimated to be little.
• Risk group 3
• Organisms and viruses which may cause disease to
  human health and/or environment - the risk is
  estimated to be moderate.
• Risk group 4
• Organisms and viruses which may cause disease to
  human health
• and/or environment - the risk is estimated to be
  high.

17
Biological Safety Administration

• Information on projects involving GMOs classified
  as S1 is collected in form Z (Available from
  Young-Hwa Song).
• Projects involving GMOs classified as S2 have to
  be applied for with the authorities. Information
  is collected in form Z.
• We have only one approved S2 projectStructural
  proteomics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• It is sufficient to fill out one form Z per
  project per research group.

18
Organisms in Risk Group 1

• Organisms and viruses presenting no risk to human
  health and/or environment if standard hygiene is
  maintained.
• E. coli K12 and B strains (all usual expression
  hosts).
• Experimentally proven safe strains (e.g. M.
  tuberculosis BCG).
• Genetically modified organisms that are as safe
  as the S1 host they originate from (e.g. E. coli
  expressing gene products that are non-hazardous
  and not virulence factors).
• Yeast strains such as S. cerevisiae and P.
  pastoris.
• Eukaryotic cell lines such as HEK293, Sf9, Sf21.
• Baculovirus in combination with insect cell lines
  (Sf9).

19
Organisms in Risk Group 2 (at EMBL Hamburg)

• Genetically modified organisms expressing genes
  from Mycobacterium tuberculosis since the
  principles of pathogenicity of M. tuberculosis
  hasnt been fully understood yet.
• Genetically modified organisms (S1 host)
  expressing genes of unknown function or virulence
  factors from donor organisms of risk groups 2-4.
• Mycobacterium smegmatis.
• Genetically modified organisms that are as safe
  as the S2 host they originate from (e.g. Mtb
  genes expressed in M. smegmatis).

20
Safety Levels of Labs within EMBL Hambrug

• S1 areas in Building 25a
• Small lab (207)
• Big lab (208)
• Cell culture room (201)
• Cold room (202)
• Corridor
• S2 areas in Building 25a
• New lab (217)
• Centrifuge room (218)
• Media kitchen (200)

• S1 areas in Building 3
• HTX area (216/217)
• MS lab (215)
• S2 areas in Building 3
• Fermenter lab (218)
• Media kitchen (219)

21
Rules for Handling Risk Group 1 Organisms

• Good general laboratory practice.
• no drinking, eating or storing foods or drinks in
  the lab.
• no mouth pipetting.
• a lab coat should be worn.
• mandatory to wear closed shoes.
• avoid producing aerosols when pipetting, shaking,
  sonifying, etc.
• avoid using syringes and hypodermic needles.
• Disinfect and wash hands after finishing work.
• Windows and doors should be closed during work.
• Check identity and purity of the organisms used.

22
Rules for Handling Risk Group 2 Organisms

• Surfaces must be disinfected after work
• Use 70 ethanol for smaller surfaces (lt 2 m2).
• Use Virkon S when working with M. smegmatis.
• Open work with pathogenic organisms must be
  performed in a laminar flow hood.
• Pathogenic organisms must be stored inside S2
  areas.
• Hands must be disinfected after work before
  washing.
• The posted hygiene plan has to be followed.
• S 2 waste has to be sealed in autoclavable bags
  inside a laminar flow hood.
• Samples must be transported inside EMBL, outside
  S2 areas, in containers that are break-proof and
  with an additional not-contaminated outside
  container.
• No S2 plates in the cold room!

23
Mycobacterium smegmatis Cultures

• All cultures should be carried out in S2 lab.
• Lysis should be carried out in a closed vessel
  to avoid producing aerosols.
• Transport of materials only in closed vessels.
• All liquid handling should be carried out in
  laminar flow hood.
• Waste should be collected separately and
  inactivated.

24
Disposal of S1 and S2 Liquid Waste
All biological waste (even S1) has to be
inactivated before discarding!

• Whenever possible, the waste has to be
  inactivated by autoclaving.
• Cover flasks with lid or aluminium foil.
• Do not fill the flasks more than two third.
• Avoid using flasks larger than 2 L.
• Liquid S1 waste from the cell cultures also has
  to be inactivated.
• Collect media, cells and virus in 10-L plastic
  bottle containing Lysoformin (gt5).
• Autoclave glass flasks containing media, cells
  or virus.
• Other glassware that has been in contact with
  media, cells or virus should be disinfected with
  Virkon S (2).

25
Disposal of S1 and S2 Solid Waste

• Collect waste (e.g. plastic products, paper
  tissues, tips, etc.) in autoclave bags.
• Close with tape.
• Put into the dedicated container in the media
  kitchen.
• Disinfect all materials that have been in contact
  with cells with 2 Virkon S.
• Remove S2 waste immediately after ending the
  work!

26
Precautions when using alcohol-based disinfectants

• Use ethanol at a concentration of 70 .
• Use alcoholic disinfectants only for smaller
  areas (max. 2 m2).
• Keep away from sources of ignition.
• Rather wipe than spray alcoholic disinfectants.
• Allow surfaces, hands etc to dry after alcoholic
  disinfection.

27
Protection of Expectant Mothers
Chemicals to avoid strictly (also by women in
childbearing age) are lead (Pb) and derivatives
and mercury alkyl salts
Pregnant women must not handle substances that
may cause cancer (R 45) cancer by inhalation (R
49) heritable genetic damage (R 46) harm to the
unborn child (R 61) or that present a limited
evidence of carcinogenic effect (R 40) a
possible risk of irreversible effects (R 68) a
possible risk of harm to the unborn child (R 63)
28
Protection of Expectant Mothers
Nursing mothers should minimise exposure to these
chemicals and avoid all substances that may cause
harm to breastfed babies (R 64).
Expectant and nursing mothers should take special
care when handling any kind of harmful
substances, solvents and solvent containing
substances.
Good personal hygiene and following the
guidelines for safe laboratory practice is even
more important during pregnancy.
Please consult the Head of Health and Safety
Office for advice.
29
Hygiene

• Hands have to be cleaned before leaving the
• laboratory or touching anything such as taps,
• handles etc.
• After handling agents of risk group 2, hands must
  be disinfected before washing.
• After cleaning a skin protecting cream (e. g.
  Silonda) should be applied to avoid skin dryness
  and cracking of the skin.
• Please see the skin care plan posted.

30
Occupational Medical Examinations

• Based on the EMBL Staff Regulations, all staff is
  requested to undergo an initial and a leaving
  medical examination. Further examinations take
  place at regular intervals.
• The frequency of the further examinations depends
  on your workplace.
• The occupational physician who has been
  officially appointed by EMBL to carry out the
  examinations at EMBL Hamburg is Dr. Katharina
  Bünz and her staff.

31
Occupational Medical Service

• Location at DESY Campus
• Building 1, basement
• Tel. [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Practice opening hours
• Monday - Thursday 0800 h - 1600 h
• Friday 0800 h - 1400 h

32
For Help and Advice Please Contact
Heidelberg Corinna Gorny Hamburg Y.-H. Song
Tel. [phone] Tel.
040-89902-130 e-mail gorny_at_embl.de e-mail
song_at_embl. de Latest Safety Information
available at http//www.embl-heidelberg.de/Local
Info/SafetyOffice/
33
You have completed the Online Briefing
Please follow the link below to a quiz You will
need to answer all questions correctly to pass

• Link to Quiz