THE MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY SAFETY RULES
" NEVER UNDERSTIMATE A MICROBE "
IN THIS SECTION WILL GO OVER THE BASIC REGULATIONS FOR WORKING
IN THE MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY. AS YOU READ THEM PLEASE TAKE
SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT THEM AND BE PREPARE TO EXPLAIN WHY
DO THESE RULES WERE CREATED
HINT
... THINK BIOHAZARDS! ...
1) Keep your workbench space free of clutter. Please place your coats, hats, knapsacks,
etc on the spaces provided.
2) Eating or drinking in the laboratory is not permitted. Avoid placing pencils, pens, etc.
in your mouth. No mouth pipeting!
3) Laboratory coats must be worn in the laboratory. Students with long hair must wear
bands that gather the hair so it falls down the back.
4) Report any breakage of equipment to the instructor.
5) Report any personal accidents such as cuts to the instructor at once.
6) Before beginning your laboratory exercises, wash off the bench top with the
disinfectant provided. When exercises are completed, wash off the bench top again.
Always wash your hands with soap and water before leaving the laboratory.
7) Before leaving the laboratory, see that all the equipment is in the proper location and
gas and water turned off.
8) Students are to remain in the laboratory until exercises are complete. When chemicals,
equipment, etc. cannot be located, ask the instructors for them.
9) Purchase a fine point, waterproof marker and a small roll of masking tape. You will
use these to clearly label your cultures.
10) Cultures are not to be removed from the laboratory unless the instructor gives
permission.
11) Always place culture tubes (both broth and slants) in an upright position in a rack or
basket for incubation or disposal.
12) Treat all cultures as potentially pathogenic, i.e. flood areas with disinfectant if
cultures are spilled, wash hands after contact and notify your instructor at once.
13) Read the instructions carefully before beginning an exercise. Also, make sure you
have all the materials needed for the exercise at hand before you commence the
experiment. Ask the instructor for clarification of any points about which you are in
doubt.
14) Flame the inoculating loop or needle immediately before and after use. If viscous
material is present, on the loop or needle, dry it at the side of the flame before placing it
directly in the flame.
15) Laboratory notebooks must be kept up-to-date. Drawings are to be made when
requested. All questions are to be answered on pages immediately following each
exercise.
16) A portion of your laboratory mark will be based on your ability to carry out aseptic
technique in the laboratory.
17) Make sure you make the proper arrangements with the instructor to dispose of the
cultures that are not needed any longer. Remove all labels and markings from the
tubes before disposing of them, Do not discard anything into the sinks.
18) READ THE LAB EXERCISES BEFORE COMING TO THE LAB you may be
quizzed at any time during the laboratory period. YOU SHOULD ALSO PREPARE A
SERIES OF EXERCISES OULINES (FLOW CHARTS) AHEAD OF THE LAB these
will help you to be organized and ready to work as soon as you get into the lab. These
may be checked for during the unannounced lab notebook checks. Examples are available
on the last pages of labs 2 and 3.
19) Please inform your instructor if you have any medical condition that could potentially
affect your safety in the laboratory (examples are diabetes, epilepsy, immunosuppression,
etc). This information will help the instructor to deal with any emergency that could
arise. The information will be treated confidentially and it will not affect the student’s
ability to participate in the laboratory activities.