Team:LA Biohackers/Safety

Safety isn't expensive. It's priceless! (author unknown)

Ours is an open community lab, and as such care was taken to choose a project that involved little risk. E. coli, S. thermophilus, and B. subtillus are all bacteria in the lowest risk group; Risk Group 1. Wild type strains of these microorganism are naturally found in humans (E. coli) yogurt (S. thermophilus) and the soil (B. subtillis).

Even though these microbes have benign reputations, standard laboratory precautions were followed. The lab has plenty of gloves, safety glasses and lab coats, and access to running water in a shared bathroom. Media and glassware are sterilized with a pressure cooker (eBay).

Standard microbiological practices regarding eating, hand washing, and disinfecting surfaces were introduced at a lab meeting in July. CDC guidelines were covered at the same meeting, and a self-test was administered after the presentation. The lab scrounged a Biological Safety Cabinent via Craig’s List and spent a considerable amount of time scheming ways to elevate it’s 550lbs from the floor to its stand. Solution: material lift from Home Depot.

Our Lab

The WHO Biosafety Manual was assigned to be read by all team members. We completed the CDC Interactive Training Recognizing Biosafety Levels training and quiz as a group. Our team presented real world case studies of the 2008 UCLA Lab fire death and subsequent felony OSHA prosecution, as well as the 2012 case of a VA lab worker in San Francisco who died after he was exposed to meningitis in the VA lab. Training covered PPE, instruction on our Biosafety cabinet and safe lab procedures with regard to carbon monoxide, explosive gases, fires, liquid nitrogen, and lasers. We discussed how to recognize and minimize risk by experimental design by using a real world example of how to determine the LEL of a explosive gas and minimize its danger by constructing a safe bioreactor. We have a fire extinguisher. The lab is on the 6th floor, and can be exited via elevator, stairs, and a fire escape.