All About Safety

General Laboratory Safety Guidelines

Protective Clothing

In the laboratory, a fully closed lab coat and safety goggles must ALWAYS be worn when performing any tasks. Special caution is required when working with liquid polyacrylamide (e.g., pouring SDS-PAGE gels), acids/bases, and handling suspended human-pathogenic bacteria.

Gas Supply

Laboratory gas is centrally stored in a safety cabinet in room ML639. The supply cylinders should be closed at the end of the day. To open the system, turn the valve half a rotation and then press the individual user button. The gas supply at each workstation is controlled by additional shut-off valves, which must be closed after completing work with gas, as well as the shut-off valve on the Bunsen burner.

Sharp Objects

• Needles/Razor Blades/Scalpels: Exercise caution when using these tools due to the risk of injury. Do not reinsert used needles into their plastic sheath; instead, dispose of them immediately. These items must be collected in the appropriately labeled yellow plastic containers (single-use containers).
• Pasteur Pipettes: Pasteur pipettes should be disposed of in the large, yellow plastic containers (multi-use), labeled "Pasteur Pipettes ONLY." These containers are located in the cell culture labs, the infection chamber, and the cold room. DO NOT dispose of other sharp objects (e.g., scalpels, razor blades, needles) in these containers, as the contents are autoclaved and subsequently discarded as glass waste.
• Glass Bottles/Glass Breakage: Broken glass and empty glass bottles should be collected in the designated bins located near the back of room ML639.

Centrifuges

Centrifuges may only be operated after receiving proper training from a supervisor. Always balance centrifuge tubes before use; pre-filled balance tubes are available for most centrifuges. Ultracentrifuge rotors must always be operated with ALL buckets in their designated positions. Special operating instructions apply when centrifuging suspensions of human-pathogenic bacteria.

Ethidium Bromide

DNA staining of agarose gels with ethidium bromide or GelRed must be performed exclusively in room ML640 using the designated staining/de-staining bath. Nitrile gloves, intended only for this procedure, are provided in this room and must not be used outside of it. One gloved hand is often sufficient, leaving the ungloved hand free to handle ethidium bromide-free objects (e.g., the socket’s main switch). The water in the de-staining bath must be changed regularly, at least once per day.

Hazardous Substances

Strict adherence to current safety regulations is required when working with hazardous substances. Special precautions apply to:

• Paraformaldehyde: Must be weighed in its solid form exclusively under a fume hood.
• Mercaptoethanol Solutions: Must only be handled under a fume hood.
• Flammable/Volatile Substances (e.g., Methanol, Ethanol): These substances must be stored in the safety cabinet near the protein workstation. Small quantities (daily requirements) may be kept at the workstation in properly labeled containers.
• Phenol/Phenol-Containing Solutions: Must be handled exclusively under a fume hood, where designated containers for the disposal of liquid and solid/flammable phenol-containing waste are provided.

Occupational Medical Examination

All employees must undergo an occupational medical examination once per year. An appointment for the initial examination is arranged through the administrative office upon hiring or starting work. Subsequent annual examinations must be scheduled independently, and a copy of the medical clearance certificate must be submitted to the administrative office.

Safety Training

An annual general safety training session on biological safety is conducted by CRH. Additionally, workplace-specific safety training is held once a year in conjunction with the VTK. Attendance at both sessions is mandatory. New employees must also complete safety training and a laboratory orientation upon starting work.

Important Information of GenTZV

The Importance of GenTZV and Proper Documentation

Accurate and thorough documentation is a cornerstone of responsible laboratory work. The GenTZV guidelines provide a framework for ensuring consistency, reproducibility, and traceability in all experimental processes. Proper documentation not only fulfills legal and regulatory requirements but also supports scientific integrity, enables effective collaboration, and ensures that valuable data can be understood and reused by colleagues and future researchers. Adhering to these standards minimizes errors, enhances safety, and contributes to the overall success of research projects.

Behaviour in the event of accidents

Familiarize yourself with the location and operation of safety equipment (emergency showers, eye wash stations, fire extinguishers, emergency shut-off switches), emergency contact numbers (posted next to the elevator phone), the first aid kit (also located next to the elevator phone), and the designated escape routes during your initial visit to the lab.

• Eye Contact with Chemicals/Pathogens: Immediately rinse eyes using the eye wash stations and notify the first responders (Tel: 2222).
• Skin/Clothing Contact with Chemicals or Clothing Fire: Use the emergency showers located in the corridor or within the laboratory.
• Injuries/Cuts: Contact the first responders.
• Spills of Solutions/Pathogens: Mark and secure the spill area immediately, then proceed with inactivation/decontamination.
• Fire: Memorize the escape routes and the designated assembly point. Evacuate the building promptly.