Team:Toulouse/Safety
Safety
Team safety and training
INSA safety training
During the summer, our lab was in the engineering school INSA wich possesses a safety department with one prevention advisor and several prevention assistants assigned to the laboratories. Their goal is to ensure the well being of the employees regarding safety rules and risk prevention. In our laboratory, the LISBP, safety is supervised by Nathalie Doubrovine who was the one instructing us regarding safety procedures.
As new interns we had to take part in a general training session to learn how to identify the risks and prevent
ourselves and our colleagues from harm. We also followed several other trainings that allowed us to use technical apparatus such as autoclave or MNR.
The laboratory safety training requirements of the LISBP are detailed in the Rules and Procedures of the LISBP.
New employees safety training
Every new LISBP employee has to attend this training session regardless of its status (researcher, PhD student, intern...).
The training is divided into two parts. The first one is a training concerning general prevention in research laboratories. This one is taken individually with the NEO software and the explanations of the prevention assistant. It also informs the employee about the emergency numbers.
The second one is a training about the techniques used during our stay concerning microbiological, chemical and incendiary risks.
We then took a test to make sure that we were attentive and understood the previous presentations.
Autoclave
The whole team went through an autoclave training, detailing the explosive/implosive danger surrounding work with an under pressure apparel.
A lab coat, heat resistant gloves and glasses must be worn when manipulating the autoclave.
Liquid nitrogen
We also had a training explaining the risks faced when manipulating liquid nitrogen, and how to manage incidents. Isothermic gloves, glasses and of course a lab coat must be worn when working with it.
MNR
Legislation and French Labor Law
INSA Toulouse is a public school for engineers thus the biosafety guidelines are not specific to our institution; the French national regulations about working conditions and the manipulation of genetically modified organisms are applied.
The regulation on workers' protection against risks resulting from their exposure to pathogenic biological agents (Decree No. 94-352 of 4 May 1994) includes microorganisms, cell cultures and human endoparasites which may cause infections, allergies or toxicity.
This Decree is the French transposition of the Directive 90/679 / EEC and is also transcribed in the Labour Code (Articles L4421-1 R4421-1 to R4427-5.)
The Decree of the 16th July 2007 describes the technical preventive measures that are to be set up in research laboratories (including containment), education, analysis, anatomy and surgical pathology, autopsy rooms, and industrial and agricultural facilities where workers are likely to be exposed to biological pathogens.
The rules of health, safety, and preventive medicine applied in public services in France (and thus in all public facilities working in scientific and technological domains) are set out in the Decree No. 82-453. This decree refers to the Labour Code, Public Health Code and Environmental Code.
The Decree No. 2011-1177 is related to the use of genetically modified organisms.
Safety in the lab
Equipment
- A conventional lab coat, closed with long sleeves
- Closed shoes
- Gloves
- Glasses if needed (UV exposure, hot water or chemical handling)
Waste
Different trash containers are available in the lab |
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One for biological waste (yellow). |
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One for common waste (green or orange) |
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Storage
We have three cupboards dedicated to the different kind of chemical products we use |
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Flammable |
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Acids |
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Bases |
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Rules
We have organized our workspace. We have a relaxing room where no biological material should enter. In this room, we can eat and drink (a fridge, a kettle and a coffeemaker are available) but it is also the room where we have our meetings and where we can work on our computers. On the contrary, in the lab, we have to wear protective equipment and respect basic rules:
- No smoking (All rooms)
- No drinks or food in the laboratories
- It is compulsory to wear a closed lab coat in cotton
- It is compulsory to wear closed shoes
- Long hair must be tied back
- Oral pipetting of any substance is prohibited in any laboratory
- We need to wash our hands regularly
- In some cases (UV light, projection risk), it is compulsory to wear protection glasses
Apparatus
Chemical hood
We use chemical hood in case we have to manipulate dangerous volatile chemical compound. All manipulation with formic and butyric acid were done under such a hood
Water-bathes
The water-bathes are used extensively (transformation, digestion, etc.). However, they can be dangerous because of the exposition of boiling or hot water. We use special gloves for protecting us from heat, steam and projections. We verify that we have turned off the water-bathes at the end of the day
Biological safety cabinet
We use a Biological safety cabinet (FASTER – Ultrasafe) to manipulate into a sterile area and thus avoid external contamination by unwanted microorganisms. We clean the bench of the BSC with ethanol before and after each manipulation. We also clean the BSC completely every two weeks.
Ethidium Bromide
Dark room
We have a dark room dedicated to the use of EtBr and UV. This room is key-closed and everyone entering into the room must wear gloves, glasses and lab coat. Everything in direct contact with something in this room has to stay there.
Waste
Two specific trash cans are dedicated to the gloves or paper and the contaminated agarose gels
References
