1. Foundation Training In Laboratory Safety Faculty Safety Managers: Stefan Hoyle, David Gentry, Jan de Abela-Borg

2. Foundation training 1.Principles of laboratory safety (including bio safety) 2.Hazardous chemicals 3.Gases, cryogenics and other hazards

3. Why are you here? Aims Improve your safety knowledge Provide an understanding of how to work safely in the laboratory Enable you to identify unsafe practices and take appropriate action Objectives Be able to define Hazard and risk Understand basics of risk assessment Understand Bio Hazard Groups and Lab Containment levels

4. What is 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

5. What are we trying to prevent?

10. Compliance requirements UK legislation Page 10 Faculties and Depts

11. Lab foundation (inc Bio- safety) training INDUCTION Laser safety training Principles of Radiation Safety Gases and Cryogenics training COSHH assessment training Centrifuge safety Fire safety and fire prevention Local lab training The training tree Training needs analysis Provision Transfer of knowledge……. CBS training

12. Each student must: Comply Ensure Attend Report Not interfere Inform his or her supervisor or the person in charge of the activity rather than compromise his or her own safety or the safety of others. Safety responsibilities – Students

13. Safe System of Work (SSoW) The principles of SSoW include; Good Occupational Safety and Hygiene Good Laboratory Practice Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Codes of Practice Ensuring relevant waste routes and emergency procedures are in place. …..must all be applied when determining and applying a safe system of work Imperial College Safety Page 13

14. Risk assessment process Page 14 Identify the hazard Consider the nature of the work Evaluate the risk Consider the control measures required Record and review the assessment Something with the potential to cause harm The likelihood and severity of harm occurring

15. 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

16. 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!)

17. All biological agents must be classified in one of four Hazard Groups Page 17 Increasing hazard to human health COSHH – Biological agents Hazard Group 1 Hazard Group 2 Hazard Group 3 Hazard Group 4 Lab containment Level 1 Lab containment Level 2 Lab containment Level 3 Lab containment Level 4

18. Imperial College Safety Page 18

19. COSHH 1st fundamental principle COSHH requires that exposure is prevented 1 controlled 2 If prevention not possible How can exposure to an infectious agent be prevented?

20. Prevention of exposure by substitution Exposure to a particular biological agent is prevented by substitution with a less hazardous biological agent COSHH Reg 7 Prevention of exposure by segregation If substitution is not possible then start by considering whether the work is adequately isolated from other staff, students, contractors or visitors This will at least prevent exposure to those not doing the work

21. Imperial College Safety

22. COSHH 2nd fundamental principle If PREVENTION is not possible then CONTROL exposure Work practices Engineering controls Suitable work equipment and materials Control exposure at source Use PPE 2 Routes of laboratory infection? 1

23. Mouth Eating, drinking and smoking in the laboratory Mouth pipetting Transfer of micro-organisms to mouth by contaminated fingers or articles Skin Skin puncture by needle or other sharp Bites and scratches by animals Cuts, scratches Conjunctivae Splashes of infectious material into the eye Transfer to eye by contaminated fingers or articles Lungs Inhalation of airbourne organisms Routes of lab infection (2)

24. Design and use appropriate work processes, systems and engineering controls and use suitable work equipment and materials The work process and equipment

25. Controlling the risks of percutaneous exposure by: controlling the use of sharps Stop the unnecessary use of sharps, for example; Tissue homogenisation with a sharp needle Aliquoting of hazardous substance from septum sealed vial Use of glass pipettes for tissue culture

26. Controlling the use of sharps Where sharps must be used; Ensure their proper use Ensure their proper disposal Ensure that there is an agreed needlestick response Ensure the risk assessment is carried out Ensure that the procedures on the use of sharps in any particular lab is clear

27. Page 27

28. ControllingAerosols / droplets: Splashes and inhalation Page 28 Secondary control measure the worker Primary control measure

29. Microbiological safety cabinets Required for work at CL2 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

30. MSC - class 1 USER HEPA filter

31. MSC – class 2 USER Exhaust HEPA filter Downflow HEPA filter

32. MSC – class 3 USER HEPA filter

33. Siting Imperial College Safety Page 33 Do not have another worker at an adjacent bench MSC bench MSC Allow adequate room for workers at nearby benches bench 300 mm

34. What can a Class II MSC be used for? 1) Changing the media on TB infected cells? 2) Homogenising human tissues? 3) Chloroform / methanol extractions of bacterial suspension? 4) Aliquoting of 20 ml methanol from a 2.5 litre winchester bottle?

35. Whats the difference between a fume cupboard and an MSC? MSC is HEPA filtered Fume cupboard has usually no filter MSC may not be spark proof Fume cupboard is Class II MSC recirculates 70% of the air within the work space Fume cupboard is 100% extract

36. Using a MSC Proper use: before you start work Proper use: whilst at the cabinet Proper use: after completion of the work Advantages and limitations of safety cabinets

37. Training and competence What you must know if using a MSC: No person should be allowed to work at an MSC unless proper training has been given and the person is competent to do the work 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

38. Universal precautions All blood and certain other materials must be considered infected, unless known to be otherwise Main infection hazard is HIV, HepB,and HepC Human blood and tissues

39. In the context of universal precautions what is meant by known not to be infected? You are asked to handle blood taken from all three of these donors Which can you consider to be safe?

40. Universal Precautions Transport samples in robust containers. Use secondary containment. Wear gloves when handling blood Use a safety cabinet if generating aerosols or splashes Do not mouth pipette 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 Get HepB vaccination

41. Plants, soils and seeds

42. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

43. What is GM? (e.g. bacterial expression system) Gene of interest (insert) Vector Host Protein of interest

44. GM work

45. Assessment Notification Containment Emergency Plans Waste control The GMO (Contained use) Regulations: key duties

46. Risks associated with GM (e.g. bacterial expression system) Insert (gene of interest) Vector Host Protein of interest

47. THE GM (CONTAINED USE) REGULATIONS Requires that all GMMs are classified in one of four Classes Class 1Class 2Class 3Class 4 Increasing hazard to human health or the environment 1234 Containment Level Classification of GMM determined by Containment Level required

48. College procedures 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 Also remind your supervisor that the GM Form C needs to be updated