Lab Safety Practices

In order to be safe, our team members completed numerous trainings, followed certain lab safety procedures, and wore protective equipment. For lab training, members completed bloodborne pathogens; personal protective equipment; chemical hygiene; aspetic technique; and autoclave training. Members were taught the Emergency Procedures for the building as a general safety measure, of course made more important in a building with laboratories stocked with chemicals, bacteria, and equipment. Since our project involved being in the greenhouse, we decided to be thorough and have members go through Pesticide training. To prevent against bacterial contamination or other harm from laboratory accidents, team members wore plastic gloves, close-toed shoes, and lab coats or throat to wrist to ankle clothing whenever in the lab. Lab safety procedures included avoiding inhaling bacteria, using biosafety containers, disposing of biohazard and sharp waste properly and carefully, and following standard laboratory procedure to avoid exposure and harm.