"
Team:NTNU Trondheim/Security
From 2012.igem.org
Safety questions
1. Would any of your project ideas raise safety issues in terms of:
- researcher safety,
- public safety, or
- environmental safety
In this project two organisms were used, following are the two organisms listed with biosafety level.
| Organism | Biosafety |
|---|---|
| Escherichia Coli | Level 1 |
| Corynebacterium glutamicum | Level 1 |
Before starting to work in the lab, a risk assessment (developed by the HSE group) was done of all the equipment and procedures to be used in this project. It had to be approved by the HSE group. The grading system used ranges from A to E, where A is no/very low risk, B is low risk, C is moderate risk, D is high risk and E is very high risk. The risk assessment for the project is given below.
| Activity | Possible unwanted incident/strain | Probability assessment (1-5) | Consequence, human being (A-E) | Consequence, external enviroment (A-E) | Consequence, eko/material (A-E) | Consequence, reputation
(A-E) | Risk value | Comments/status/ Improvement suggestions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agarose gel electophoresis | Long term health risk from GelRed (unknown effect) | 1 | Unknown | A | A | B | Unknown | Gelred is said not to penetrate cell membranes, and thus should not act as mutagen even if it is DNA-binding. Gloves also minimize the risk for exposure. |
| Autoclave | Rapid pressure fall due to opening the autoclave to soon my cause hot liquid burns on eye or skin | 2 | C | A | A | B | 2C | Will not happen if instructions are followed |
| Bacteria class 1 and recombinant bacteria | Release of GMO to environment. Bacterial infections. | 2 | A | A | A | B | 2A | |
| Bunsen burners | Skin burns | 3 | B | A | A | A | 3B | New rules how to handle burners+ ethanol baths already installed. |
| Bunsen burners | Initiation of fire | 3 | C | A | B | A | 3C | New rules how to handle burners + ethanol baths already installed. |
| General lab work | Deviation from established safety rules and routines | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | No injuries requiring more than simple first aid in these laboratories for the past 5 years, the present rutines seem sufficient |
| DNA/RNA isolation and purification | Exposure for dangerous for health chemicals: Phenol-chlorophorm mix | 2 | C | A | A | B | 2C | Phenol-chloroform mix requires the work in a ventilation hood only. All waste should be placed in a special box for hazardous materials. |
| Environmental samples for cultivation and DNA isolation, preparation of | Bacterial infections, production of toxic/infectous compunds from cloned DNA. Usage of hazardous compounds (e.g. chloroform) for DNA isolation. | 1 | Unknown | A | A | C | 1 - Unknown | In general mild injuries, that can be avoided by present rutines and senseable carefulness during lab-work. |
| Dry ice/etanol | Eye injury. Frostbite | 1 | B | A | A | B | 1B | Eye-protection and gloves for handling the dry ice |
| Luminometer and fluorometer, use of | Possible exposure health injurious chemicals. | 2 | A | A | A | A | 2A | See MSDS for relevant chemicals |
| PCR | Exposure to DMSO when used | 1 | A | A | A | A | 1A | PCR-machine should be in ventilation hood when DMSO is added, use lab coat and gloves |
| pH-adjustments | Exposure to corrosive chemicals: Skin and eye damage | 2 | B | A | A | B | 2B | Eye-protection and lab coat |
| Sentrifugation (Sorvall + table) | Damage caused by loose rotor | 1 | C | A | B | C | 1C | |
| Supercompetent or electrocompetent cells, making of | Exposure of skin and eyes to extremely cold liquid (nitrogen or ethanol) | 2 | C | A | A | B | 2C | Conducted with extreme caution, and using eye-protection and gloves. |
| Ventilation hoods, use of | Exposure to hazardous chemicals due to unsufficient airflow (effects on local hood or other hoods) | 1 | C | A | A | B | 1C | Can be prevented by maintaining sufficient airflow |
| Waterbaths and shaking waterbaths, (heat and water quality) | Electrical hazards, Burns | 1 | B | B | A | A | 1B | Regular service by trained personnel. Heat-proof gloves must be used during handling of hot items.
Hot surfaces must be signed. |
All of the participants have had previous lab courses. In these courses the participants have learnt about use of safety equipment, first aid, fire extinguishing, proper dispose of waste, and reading and understanding of safety data sheets of the substances in use. Use of different kinds of equipment and methods used have been taught, as well as writing scientific reports. The labs in use in this project are all approved for working with gene modified organisms (GMOs). Lab coats, safety glasses and disposable gloves are used when necessary and when required by the HSE guidelines and rules. Materials such as restriction enzymes, buffers, PCR and Gel Purification kits are all bought from biotechnology companies. There are none additional safety precautions to be made than the ones already described. When making solutions of antibiotics, gloves and a fume hood are used, in addition to lab coat and glasses. When the lab’s not in use, it is locked with all of the equipment and materials/organisms safely stored away. A person that doesn’t belong there will not be able to enter. There are also security personel at the school at all times.
