Centrifuges
General Biosafety
Practices (GBP)
Biological Safety
Why You Should Care
Centrifuges use a lot of energy and can walk off the counter, launch projectiles,
and spray aerosols. Even the low speed centrifuges go fast enough to pose
dangers. Mechanical hazards can include stress to the rotor metal, fatigue,
corrosion, and container selection. It is normally one of these things, or an
improperly balanced load, that lead to accidents involving centrifuges.
Hazardous materials can include biologicals and chemicals, which present
additional aerosol and exposure risks. Check out some famous centrifuge
incidents around the country.
Best Practices
•
Know your centrifuge – Read the operator manual for each centrifuge you operate – it has
specific information about how to maintain that model. Older models do not have all the safety
features built into the new ones and are more likely to fail and cause injuries.
•
Check Compatibility - Check that the rotor is compatible with your centrifuge, avoid incompatible
chemicals, use proper tubes, and fill tubes to the proper level.
•
Is It Sealed? - The use of secondary containment (sealed safety cups or buckets), gasketed lids,
and O-ring gasketed screw top tubes for your samples all increase safety in the event of an
accident inside the centrifuge.
•
When loading – When working with potentially infectious materials, use a biosafety cabinet to
load your tubes where practical, inspect all equipment for wear & tear, verify that tubes are
properly balanced, and secure the seating of your samples.
•
When operating - Use a log (especially for an ultracentrifuge) to track use and stick around to
watch for signs of an improperly loaded centrifuge.
•
When unloading - When working with potentially infectious materials, use a biosafety cabinet
where possible to unload rotors/buckets, especially if you have had a spill
•
Use your senses - If you detect smells, sounds, small vibrations, anything that concerns you…
•
•
Stop run immediately and check for error codes first! Know what the code is before opening
lid.
•
Turn off the equipment
•
Notify your supervisor and seek the help of an experienced colleague
•
Do not open lid until fully stopped and allowed to rest for 30 minutes (which allows most
aerosols to settle)
To clean up a spill: Review the GBP for Biological Spills for general guidance. After letting the
centrifuge rest for 30 minutes, 1) don your PPE, 2) use tongs to handle sharps, 3) remove sealed
buckets and place in BSC, 4) disassemble and place other affected parts in disinfectant in BSC,
5) recover samples in BSC, 6) disinfect the bowl (if affected), 7) and follow all waste management
guidelines for equipment and PPE.
Things to Avoid
•
Do not use abrasives or corrosive detergents
•
Do not scratch the surface of your rotor, bucket, tubes, etc.
•
Do not leave the rotor wet
•
Do not neglect your centrifuge…keep up that maintenance plan!
Questions? Contact EHS
Last Revised: 6/16/2014
www.ehs.cornell.edu 607-255-8200 askEHS@cornell.edu
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Centrifuge GBP
Where to get training and more information
•
Visit the EHS Biosafety Manual Section 2.1.12 for more information on centrifuges
Visual Guide
Example of a safety cup
A Cornell campus laboratory was seriously
damaged when the rotor of an ultracentrifuge
failed while in use. Flying metal fragments
damaged the walls, the ceiling, and other
equipment. The shock wave blew out the
laboratory’s windows and shook down the
shelves. Review the entire article here.
The shattered rotor from the
centrifuge accident above
Approved by: Frank Cantone
Example PPE to unload a centrifuge
when working with infectious materials
If you have an odd number of tubes, such as 3,
7, or 15, you can balance them as shown above,
or simply add an extra tube containing water (a
blank) to make it easier. Image courtesy of
http://genchem.rutgers.edu/g1.html
GBP
Last revised by: Alexis Brubaker 6/16/2014
Page 2 of 2
This copy expires 7 days from the print date of: 6/16/2014. The most recent version of this document is available electronically at:
http://sp.ehs.cornell.edu/lab-research-safety/Pages/Intro-to-Lab-Safety.aspx