Safety guidelines for ALL microscopy core users.

Who should read?

The microscope core is designated a BL1 space. All core users must be familiar with these general safety guidelines. Most of these are standard laboratory practices at the Koch Institute.

BL1 or BL2 samples?

After fixation, most human and mouse tissues and cells are no longer pathogenic and therefore Risk Group 1 and may be observed under standard BL1 laboratory safety conditions. Live non-human and non-primate specimens such as mouse cell lines that cannot possibly contain human pathogens are also BL1.

Unfixed samples that include ANY human tissue or live human or primate primary cells or cell lines are considered Risk Group 2 agents and require BL2-level imaging. Imaging of live Risk Group 2 (BL2) samples is now possible, but is strictly controlled. Users wishing to image BL2 samples must read the [BL2 Safety Policies]

Please check with core personnel if you are unsure if your sample is BL1 or BL2.

Core Safety Policies

General Safety

• No eating or drinking in the core.
• Clothing must be appropriate lab wear. Cover your legs and wear closed shoes. No shorts or sandals!
• Use secondary containers and at least one glove off when transporting specimens between individual microscope rooms or within the building. Use service elevators for transport.
• Microscope decontamination guides are posted in each microscope room. Follow the decontamination procedure both after you finish. Decontaminate microscope surfaces, eyepieces, stage, keyboard, mouse, etc as directed in the posted guide. You may also opt to decontaminate before you begin.

Reporting

• Report injuries or spills immediately to core staff.
• Report equipment issues or damage immediately to core staff. We can't fix what we don't know about!
• Risk Group 2 (BL2) work requires elevated decontamination procedures (see below).

BL1 and BL2 signs

Pay attention to BL1 and BL2 signs outside of each microscope room.

• Fixed specimens can be viewed in rooms designated as BL1.
• Do not enter a room with a BL2 sign on the door unless you have had bloodborne pathogen training.
• BL2 specimens such as live human-derived cells require the temporary raising of a room to BL2 status with proper signage and decontamination at the end of your session. See below.
• BL2+ specimens such as cells with live lentivirus are not permitted in the KIMCF.

Safety Resources

Sharps

Sharps such as used microscope slides go in red sharps containers located in each microscope room. Sharp boxes are NOT for other waste such as wipes or gloves. Use trash cans or red step cans depending on contamination level.

Solid biological waste

Solid biological waste is collected in the red step can and/or solid biological waste box by the sinks. No radioactive or chemical waste, no animal carcasses, or animal tissues that have been treated with chemicals, no liquid waste, no sharps.

Gloves

Please dispose of gloves in biological waste step cans by the sinks. Do NOT dispose of gloves in sharp boxes!

Eyewashes

Eyewashes are located on each sink in rooms 76-280 and 76-281.

Shower

A shower is located outside of room 76-281 in the main hallway.

First aid

A cabinet containing both first aid kit and spill kit is located next to the shower in the main hallway.

Splashes

In case of chemical, biological or radioactivity splash , flush affected area for 15 minutes.

Animals

Animal Carcasses should be taken back to animal facility to be disposed of

Emergency Evacuation

• Fire Evacuation Maps are posted in hallways
• Always use enclosed stairs in emergency evacuations, NOT the center stairwells
• For building evacuations, the Koch Institute meeting place is the courtyard/grassy area between KI/Bldg 76, Stata/Bldg 32, and Biology/Bldg 68. If weather is inclement, the alternate meeting point is in Stata lobby.
• Always check in with your Emergency Evacuation Warden at the meeting area. Emergency Wardens for Microscopy Core Facility are: Jeffrey Kuhn and Jeff Wyckoff.