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The ASM Biosafety Guidelines provide educators and students with a consistent way to safely work with microorganisms in the classroom and to further prevent the spread of microorganisms. These guidelines cover best practices for safe handling, containment and disposal of microorganisms.
The guidelines also cover using take-home microbiology kits.
Listed below are additional safety rules that should be followed AT ALL TIMES in the lab:
Do not put any personal belongings, except your lab manual and writing utensil, on the lab bench during an experiment.
Do not bring food, drink, or cosmetics of any kind into the lab. This includes gum and hard candy.
If your hair is shoulder length or longer, you must keep it tied back while you are in the lab.
If you wear soft contact lenses, you MUST remove them before entering the lab; soft contact lenses absorb chemical fumes. If you wear hard contact lenses, you are strongly encouraged to remove them before the lab.
Wear lab aprons or lab coats for all lab work.
Do not wear any clothing that could present a safety hazard: NO long, flowing sleeves; necklaces; etc.
Wash your hands with an antimicrobial soap every time you enter or leave the lab.
Clean the lab desk top with disinfectant at the beginning and end of each lab period.
NEVER place in your mouth any pencils, pens, labels, or other materials used during the lab.
Before beginning any experiment, read the introduction and procedures. Always ask your instructor for clarification when you are unsure of a procedure or have a question.
Keep the lab workbench clear of flammables such as loose leaf paper and paper towels. Remove trash immediately and put it in the proper container.
Before lighting the Bunsen burner,
make sure that hose connections are tight.
know to which gas jet the burner is connected.
be sure that you are familiar with the correct, safe way to light the Bunsen burner.
do not turn on the gas to the Bunsen burner until you are ready to light it.
If you are not using your Bunsen burner, keep it turned off!
NEVER take cultures from the laboratory.
Discard cultures only in biohazard containers. Never discard cultures in the trash can!
If a culture is spilled, notify the instructor immediately for proper cleanup procedures.
Handle microscopes with care! Use only lens paper to clean lenses.
The international Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) is used to identify hazardous materials.
This is the international symbol used to identify material that is biohazardous.
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