Foundation training in laboratory safety

1. Foundation training in laboratory safety Faculty Safety Managers: Jan de Abela-Borg and Stefan Hoyle

2. Training program • Module 1: • Principles of laboratory safety (including bio safety) • Module 2: • Hazardous chemicals • Module 3: • Gases, cryogenics and other hazards • Assessment MCQs

3. Learning outcomes • Course Aim: • Provide an understanding of how to work safely in the laboratory • Module 1 Objectives: • Be able to define Hazard and risk • Describe basics of risk assessment • Explain the relationship between Bio Hazard Groups and Lab Containment levels • List the routes of exposure • Describe the mode of operation of Microbiological safety cabinets

4. Images 2, 3, 4 & 5 were accidents that occurred at other organisations not Imperial College London What are we trying to prevent? Injuries......................... 2 4 3 5

5. Bad publicity..............

6. Damage to equipment and facilities................

7. Exposing others....................

8. Compliance requirements UK legislation Faculties and Depts

9. Summary (1) • Lab safety is important to prevent harm to individuals, equipment or facilities, the environment or the public image of the organisation (and therefore funding). • The College follows the Regulations of UK law as set out in the UK Health and Safety at Work Act • Students are treated as staff for the purposes of health and safety

10. Which one of these groups of answers illustrates good lab practice? • Writing tidily in lab book, wearing labcoat and safety glasses, turning off lights when leaving the lab • No eating or drinking, wearing labcoat and safety glasses, knowing correct waste routes • Reporting accidents and near misses, leaving door open when working alone, cover cuts on hands with gloves • No eating or drinking in the lab, leaving door open when working alone, wearing disposable gloves when transporting samples between labs • Asking the cleaners to clean up chemical spills, turning off lights when leaving lab, wash hands before leaving lab

11. 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

12. Risk assessment process...... Something with the potential to cause harm Identify the hazard Identify who may be harmed The likelihood and severity of harm occurring Evaluate the risk and identify control measures Record the assessment Review the assessment

13. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (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!)

14. COSHH 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

15. COSHH – preventing exposure 1st fundamental principle – prevent exposure Elimination – Don’t do it or; Substitution - substituting ‘it’ with another substance which presents less, or no risk; using another process which doesn’t create a hazardous form of that substance. Segregation - If substitution is not possible then start by considering whether the work is adequately isolated from other staff, students, contractors or visitors.

16. No segregation.......increased risk of exposure..........

17. COSHH – controlling exposure • 2nd fundamental principle – control exposure • Engineering control – Using equipment and lab design to prevent exposure for example, microbiological safety cabinet, enclosed centrifuge rotors, non absorbent lab furniture, laser interlocks, extraction for solder etc. • Procedural control – Ensuring those doing the work are competent, follow procedures and where appropriate know emergency actions. • Management control – Monitoring and reviewing controls to ensure implementation, for example, health surveillance, equipment maintenance, providing training, reviewing assessments.

18. COSHH – controlling exposure

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

20. COSHH - biological containment

21. Which group of criteria should be used to place human pathogens in the COSHH hazard groups? • Country of origin, virulence, concentration of culture • Motility of microorganism, infectious dose, route of exposure • Type of microorganism, route of exposure, country of origin • Infectious dose, availability of treatment, survivability • E) Incubation period, infectious dose, motility of microorganism

22. Summary (2) • Risk assessment and planning is a essential part of safe and good science. • All hazards must be considered when assessing the risk from lab work. • Human pathogens are segregated into one of four hazard groups and must be used in a equivalent or higher containment level lab. • COSHH requires that exposure from substances hazardous to health is either prevented or controlled

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

24. Which of these measures help control percutaneous exposure? • Replace sharp needles with blunt needles / re-sheathing needles after use / using correct disposal methods • Using correct disposal methods / wearing disposable nitrile gloves / using plastic labware instead of glass • Using plastic labware instead of glass / replacing sharp needles with blunt / using correct disposal methods • Wearing disposable nitrile gloves / re-sheathing needles / using correct disposal methods

25. Secondary control measure the worker Controlling aerosols & droplets Primary control measure

26. Microbiological safety cabinets (MSC) • Required for work at containment level 2 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

27. How do MSCs work? • On the handout illustrate using arrows the directions of airflows in the 3 different classes of MSCs

28. MSC - class I High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter USER

29. MSC - class II Exhaust HEPA filter DownflowHEPA filter USER Grill Grill

30. MSC – class III HEPA filter HEPA filter USER

31. MSC – airflow sensitivity MSC bench Do not have another worker at an adjacent bench MSC 300 mm bench Allow adequate room for workers at nearby benches

32. Differences between a MSC and a fume cupboard Microbiological safety cabinet Fume cupboard

33. Using a MSC Proper use: before you start workProper use: whilst at the cabinetProper use: after completion of the work

34. MSC users - training • What you must know if using a MSC: • 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

35. Summary (3) • Identifying the route of exposure will help to identify the correct control measures • Controlling exposure at source protects the individual and others who may could be affected. • Controlling biological exposure via inhalation can be achieved by using MSCs • If using a MSC ensure you are using the correct class (I, II or III) and get appropriate training.

36. Human blood and tissues Main infection hazard is HIV, HepB and HepC

37. Which of these donors can you consider to be safe in terms of handling their blood? 1 2 3 A) 1 + 3 B) 1 C) 3 D) None E) All

38. Universal precautions for human blood and tissue • Get Hepatitis B vaccination • Transport samples in robust containers. Use secondary containment. • Wear gloves, labcoat and safety glasses when handling body fluids • Use a MSC if generating aerosols or splashes • 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 • (post exposure prophylaxis)

39. Which of these could you import into the UK without prior consultation with College safety personnel or Regulatory authorities? • A) Oak leaves from Chernobyl • B) GM modified mouse from Beijing • C) Aphids from Seattle • D) Glowing gonad mosquitoes from Nairobi • E) Mouse Ear Cress from Rome

40. Importing materialinto the UK

41. Genetically modified organisms What is GM? Micro-organisms, plants and animals that have had their heritable genetic material altered by artificial means.

42. GMO Regulations (contained use) • Assessment • Notification • Containment • Emergency • Plans • Waste control • Report accidents

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

44. GM assessment and class Requires that all GMOs are classified in one of four Classes Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Class 4 Increasing hazard to human health or the environment Containment Level 1 2 3 4 Classification of GMM determined by Containment Level required

45. College procedures for GM projects 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 If using Class 2 or 3 GM material you will need to be on Bio-agents health screening provided by College Occupational Health. Also remind your supervisor that the GM Form C needs to be updated

46. Summary (4) • Treat all human body fluids or tissues as potentially infected • Before importing any material into the UK check with a FSM or the Safety Dept • GM material must be assessed and approved before it is cultured, stored, used or disposed of • GM classification is based on the risk to human health and the environment