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

Reporting

BL1 and BL2 signs

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

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