Safety

Four Simple QuestionsFour Simple Questions

•What are the hazards?What are the hazards?

•What are the worst things that What are the worst things that could happen?could happen?

•What do I need to be prepared?What do I need to be prepared?

•What are the prudent practices, What are the prudent practices, protective facilities, and protective facilities, and protective equipment needed to protective equipment needed to minimize the risks?minimize the risks?

What is wrong with this picture?

How might these How might these problems be avoided?problems be avoided?

•Teach students the proper Teach students the proper procedures.procedures.

•Model the proper procedure Model the proper procedure each and every time.each and every time.

•Establish and enforce safety Establish and enforce safety procedures.procedures.

•Use safety contracts.Use safety contracts.

How can you demonstrate How can you demonstrate your safety sense?your safety sense?

• Use safety contracts.Use safety contracts.

• Develop a school and system wide chemical Develop a school and system wide chemical hygiene plan.hygiene plan.

• Enforce your safety policy and document Enforce your safety policy and document infractions.infractions.

• Post safety information in your Post safety information in your classroom.classroom.

• Label safety equipment appropriately.Label safety equipment appropriately.

• Inspect, Correct, DocumentInspect, Correct, Document

• Report & Investigate accidents and near Report & Investigate accidents and near missesmisses

Hazardous Material Identification System (HMIS) Hazard Codes

http://www.paint.org/hmis/index.cfm

National Fire Protection Association

(NFPA) Code

Chemical Labels

Fisher MDDS.htm

Chemical Labels

PotNit.pdf

Chemical Labels

www.aircleansystems.ne

t www.durhamgeo.com

www.newton.dep.anl.go

v/ york/eyewash.html

www.chem.unl.edu/

safety/hslab12.html

Biohazards: What are Biohazards: What are they?they?

► Infectious agents or Infectious agents or biologically derived biologically derived infectious materials, which infectious materials, which present or may present a present or may present a risk to other living things, risk to other living things, including humans. including humans.

► No high school level No high school level laboratory course should be laboratory course should be dealing with infectious dealing with infectious agents or potentially agents or potentially infectious materials!infectious materials!

http://www.nsela.org/safesci18.htm

Biohazards: Examples• Human, animal and plant pathogens: bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites, rickettsiae, chlamydiae, toxins

• All human and animal blood, blood products, tissues and body fluids

• Cultured cells and potentially infectious agents these cells may contain

• Allergens• Recombinant DNA products• Clinical, necropsy and surgical specimens (tissues, fluids, etc.)

www.irtc.org/.../stills/ 2001-10-31/bacteria.jpg

The Four BioSafety The Four BioSafety LevelsLevels

• BSL1: No known or minimal potential BSL1: No known or minimal potential hazard of exposure to infectious agentshazard of exposure to infectious agents

• BSL2: Moderate potential hazard/low BSL2: Moderate potential hazard/low risk of exposure to infectious agentsrisk of exposure to infectious agents

• BSL3: Moderate risk of exposure to BSL3: Moderate risk of exposure to agents that can cause serious or agents that can cause serious or potentially lethal diseasepotentially lethal disease

• BSL4: High individual risk of exposure BSL4: High individual risk of exposure to dangerous or exotic agents which to dangerous or exotic agents which cause life-threatening disease.cause life-threatening disease.

Which level is appropriate Which level is appropriate for high school?for high school?

• BSL1 BSL1 – microbiology and/or microbiology and/or

biotechnology. biotechnology.

• Based on safety Based on safety equipment, practices, equipment, practices, facility design and facility design and construction. construction.

• Labs are done with Labs are done with defined, characterized defined, characterized strains and viable strains and viable microorganisms not known microorganisms not known to cause disease in to cause disease in healthy humans; e.g. healthy humans; e.g. Bacillus subtilus, Bacillus subtilus, Naegleria gruberi; and Naegleria gruberi; and exempt organisms under exempt organisms under NIH Recombinant DNA NIH Recombinant DNA guidelines.guidelines.

www.nature.com/genomics/ papers/b_subtilis.html

Safety: Primary Safety: Primary BarriersBarriers1.1.Special containment devices or equipment such Special containment devices or equipment such

as a biological safety cabinet are generally as a biological safety cabinet are generally not required for manipulations of agents not required for manipulations of agents assigned to BSL1. assigned to BSL1.

2.2.It is recommended that laboratory coats be It is recommended that laboratory coats be worn to prevent contamination or soiling of worn to prevent contamination or soiling of street clothes.street clothes.

3.3.Gloves must be worn, especially if the skin Gloves must be worn, especially if the skin on the hands is broken or if a rash exists. on the hands is broken or if a rash exists.

4.4.Protective eyewear must be worn for Protective eyewear must be worn for anticipated splashes of microorganisms or anticipated splashes of microorganisms or other hazardous materials to the face.other hazardous materials to the face.

Safety: Secondary Safety: Secondary BarriersBarriers1.1.Each laboratory contains a sink for hand washing. Each laboratory contains a sink for hand washing.

2.2.The laboratory is designed so that it can be easily The laboratory is designed so that it can be easily cleaned. Rugs in cleaned. Rugs in laboratories are not appropriate, and should not be laboratories are not appropriate, and should not be used because proper decontamination following a used because proper decontamination following a spill is extremely difficult to achieve.spill is extremely difficult to achieve.

3.3.Bench tops are impervious to water and resistant to Bench tops are impervious to water and resistant to acids, alkalis, organic solvents, and moderate acids, alkalis, organic solvents, and moderate heat. heat.

4.4.Laboratory furniture is sturdy. Spaces between Laboratory furniture is sturdy. Spaces between benches, cabinets, and benches, cabinets, and equipment are accessible for cleaning. equipment are accessible for cleaning.

5.5.If the laboratory has windows that open, they are If the laboratory has windows that open, they are fitted with fly screens.fitted with fly screens.

Remember the Code!Remember the Code!

Blood Bourne pathogens include viruses, Blood Bourne pathogens include viruses, bacteria, bacteria,

and parasites present in blood or other body and parasites present in blood or other body fluids. fluids.

This standard does cover special practices, This standard does cover special practices, access, warning signs, PPE, biosafety and access, warning signs, PPE, biosafety and training training

requirements. For the high school science requirements. For the high school science laboratory, an Exposure Control Plan needs laboratory, an Exposure Control Plan needs to be to be

in Place (OSHA Code (29 CFR 1910.1030) in Place (OSHA Code (29 CFR 1910.1030) BloodbornePathogens).BloodbornePathogens).