Difference between revisions of "Team:Freiburg/Safety"
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<h4>Lab safety</h4> | <h4>Lab safety</h4> | ||
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<p> In order to avoid any harmful influences to one of our preciuos team members all lab work is performed in accordance with the German regulations for lab safety (GUV-R 120, TRBA 100). This includes but is not limited to following examples:</p> | <p> In order to avoid any harmful influences to one of our preciuos team members all lab work is performed in accordance with the German regulations for lab safety (GUV-R 120, TRBA 100). This includes but is not limited to following examples:</p> | ||
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<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li>Wearing personal protection equipment like lab coats, safety googles and rubber gloves if needed</li> | <li>Wearing personal protection equipment like lab coats, safety googles and rubber gloves if needed</li> | ||
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<p>To further reduce the possibility of a potential dangerous situation happening to one of our team members, we designed our project to be as safe as possible. | <p>To further reduce the possibility of a potential dangerous situation happening to one of our team members, we designed our project to be as safe as possible. | ||
</p> | </p> | ||
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<h5>Dangerous chemicals</h5> | <h5>Dangerous chemicals</h5> | ||
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<p>We tried to avoid using dangerous chemicals whenever possible. For example we completely prohibited the use of ethidium bromide and used Midori Green as safer alternative to dye our DNA gels. We also restricted all use of this chemical to a small and clearly labelled area of the lab.</p> | <p>We tried to avoid using dangerous chemicals whenever possible. For example we completely prohibited the use of ethidium bromide and used Midori Green as safer alternative to dye our DNA gels. We also restricted all use of this chemical to a small and clearly labelled area of the lab.</p> | ||
<h5>Biological hazards</h5> | <h5>Biological hazards</h5> | ||
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<p> Because of the nature of our project working with antigens derived from pathogenic organisms was unavoidable. To nevertheless ensure safe working conditions we decided to use only proteins that are not associated with the virulence or toxicity of these organisms. When such proteins were not available we used only immunogenic epitopes, not whole, functional proteins as antigens.</br> | <p> Because of the nature of our project working with antigens derived from pathogenic organisms was unavoidable. To nevertheless ensure safe working conditions we decided to use only proteins that are not associated with the virulence or toxicity of these organisms. When such proteins were not available we used only immunogenic epitopes, not whole, functional proteins as antigens.</br> | ||
To further reduce the risk of biological hazards we only used harmless lab strains of E. coli (risk group 1) for cloning and expression of all of our needed proteins. | To further reduce the risk of biological hazards we only used harmless lab strains of E. coli (risk group 1) for cloning and expression of all of our needed proteins. | ||
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<h5>Working structure</h5> | <h5>Working structure</h5> | ||
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<p> By using a seminar room of the University of Freiburg for relaxing, meetings and all kind of organisational work we were able to reserve the lab for actual lab work. This clear cut between lab and office work helps to prevent unnecessary complications which might occur in a hectic and overcrowded lab. | <p> By using a seminar room of the University of Freiburg for relaxing, meetings and all kind of organisational work we were able to reserve the lab for actual lab work. This clear cut between lab and office work helps to prevent unnecessary complications which might occur in a hectic and overcrowded lab. | ||
</p> | </p> | ||
Revision as of 21:42, 11 September 2015
Safety
Safety instructions
Every member of our team received an instruction for general lab safety from Dr. Nicole Gensch, the official safety instructor of the BIOSS (Centre for Biological Signalling Studies). Furthermore our team received a special training for correct handling and deposal of liquid nitrogen from Dr. Johannes Kaiser the executive director of the BIOSS. Because we had to perform some of our measurements in a specialized lab at the ZBSA (Center for Biological Systems Analysis) we also received a safety instruction for their institution from Dr. Günter Roth.
Lab safety
In order to avoid any harmful influences to one of our preciuos team members all lab work is performed in accordance with the German regulations for lab safety (GUV-R 120, TRBA 100). This includes but is not limited to following examples:
- Wearing personal protection equipment like lab coats, safety googles and rubber gloves if needed
- Consuming any food or drinks in the lab area is prohibited
- Smoking in the lab area is prohibited
- Autoclaving all waste that came in contact with biological material
Minimizing risks
To further reduce the possibility of a potential dangerous situation happening to one of our team members, we designed our project to be as safe as possible.
Dangerous chemicals
We tried to avoid using dangerous chemicals whenever possible. For example we completely prohibited the use of ethidium bromide and used Midori Green as safer alternative to dye our DNA gels. We also restricted all use of this chemical to a small and clearly labelled area of the lab.
Biological hazards
Because of the nature of our project working with antigens derived from pathogenic organisms was unavoidable. To nevertheless ensure safe working conditions we decided to use only proteins that are not associated with the virulence or toxicity of these organisms. When such proteins were not available we used only immunogenic epitopes, not whole, functional proteins as antigens. To further reduce the risk of biological hazards we only used harmless lab strains of E. coli (risk group 1) for cloning and expression of all of our needed proteins.
Working structure
By using a seminar room of the University of Freiburg for relaxing, meetings and all kind of organisational work we were able to reserve the lab for actual lab work. This clear cut between lab and office work helps to prevent unnecessary complications which might occur in a hectic and overcrowded lab.
