General Lab Safety
All members are responsible for maintaining safety and order in the lab.
Every new lab member (student) must complete at least the online course "On-line Hazard Communication Training - EHS: available at the following link:
https://apps7.system.tamus.edu/TrainTraq/web/External/ExternalGatewayLogon.aspx
for username enter your tamu email address
password: Email labsafety@tamu.edu to obtain a password
If/when you complete it, please send Dr, Mateos the email confirmation so I can save it in my records. Let me know if you have any questions.
If you are a paid employee, you need to log in through the SSO portal
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In addition, every lab member must complete the attached WorkPlaceTraining.pdf and turn in to Dr. Mateos for record keeping.
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Below is a list of a few things to remember:
WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK
-Only individuals authorized to enter the lab, should enter (a keypad code is provided)
-Persons must wash their hands after working with potentially hazardous materials and before leaving the laboratory.
-Eating, drinking, smoking, handling contact lenses, applying cosmetics, and storing food for human consumption must not be permitted in laboratory areas. Food must be stored outside the laboratory area in cabinets or refrigerators designated and used for this purpose.
-Mouth pipetting is prohibited; mechanical pipetting devices must be used.
-broken glassware should be discarded in the “broken glass” cardboard box (one in each room) and handled with a brush and dustpan, tongs, or forceps
-Needles and sharps should be handled with care, and placed in the sharps disposal containers (red)
-Non disposable (e.g. those containing hazards or biohazards) sharps must be placed in a hard walled container for transport to a processing area for decontamination, preferably by autoclaving.
-Perform all procedures to minimize the creation of splashes and/or aerosols.
-Keep benches clean. Decontaminate work surfaces after completion of work and after any spill or splash of potentially infectious material with appropriate disinfectant (10% Bleach, 70%ethanol).
-Materials to be decontaminated outside of the immediate laboratory must be placed in a durable, leak proof container and secured for transport. Biohazard waste is double bagged or single bagged and placed in an autoclave safe tray. Autoclave verified with biological indicators and log maintained.
-Soap containers and paper towels should always be available close to the sinks. Please check and refill if necessary, every time you are in the lab.
-Eye wash stations (one in each room) need to be checked every week. You can do it carefully without splashing all over. If the eye wash station passes test, enter the date and your initials in Emergency Eyewash Activation log hanging from the dish drying rack
-Please ensure that every tube/container is correctly labeled, indicating the contents. If you notice an unlabeled container notify owner (if you know) and Dr. Mateos immediately.
-Reagent containers must be labeled with the date received and date opened. They should be stored in the appropriate place (e.g. flammables in the Flammables cabinet).
-Familiarize yourself with Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS or SDS) of the chemicals you use. You can search them online.
-Chloroform should be used within 1 year of purchase or 6 months after opening, because it can form phosgene gas upon decomposition. This and other hazardous materials must be labeled with the green Chemical Waste Disposal labels. Write the chemical/s name on the label. The % of waste and pH measurements on the tag are optional. Once ready to be discarded, send email with label ID and description of contents to Dr. Mateos so that can request a pick up via the new online system.
-Our –20°C Freezers are purposefully NOT frost-free (to maintain a constant –20°C temperature). Therefore, they accumulate ice over time. We must remove excessive ice when this happens, which requires temporary removal of all items (usually to the “dead fly” freezer) in an orderly manner (e.g. by shelf), and careful removal of ice/water for several hours with freezer turned off.
-If you hear a –80°C (ultra-low) freezer alarm go off, please look at message on freezer and report immediately to Drs. Hurtado and/or Mateos, and other lab members. Similarly, if you hear an alarm coming from another lab, inform their emergency contact immediately.
-Those working in the fly lab must read and sign the Standard Operating Procedures stuck to the door of 512A (Dr. Mateos can also provide a copy)