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Revision as of 15:18, 19 August 2011

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Safety

Our safety section is going through some changes. This is not the final version.

Safety Questions

Question 1: Would the materials used in your project and/or your final product pose:

a) Risks to the safety and health of team members or others in the lab?

It was decided at an early stage of our project that we would work with biofilms. This meant examining a number of organisms which had properties of transforming readily and forming biofilms whilst still being safe to use. During investigative research we found that the lab-strain E. coli available to us (Top 10 and DS941), whilst being non-pathogenic, had selectively lost their capacity to form biofilms.

We also had access to three bacterial strains of the class Pseudomonas: (P. aeruginosa, P. putida and P. fluorescens). Whilst having a well-documented capacity to form biofilms, P. aeruginosa is also classed as a level 2 biosafety organism. This means that the organism is associated with human disease and so precautions must be taken to prevent percutaneous, ingestion and mucous membrane exposure to clinical materials - as per BSL2 recommendations and OSHA requirements.

This meant that we had to carefully consider the safety of all researchers, as well as the public and environment before we began working with it. All work with Pseudomonas was carried out under supervised conditions, in a part of the building that was not accessible to the public. All participants were also shown the proper way of handling these organisms and (on the advice of the building safety officer) we also made sure that all participants who normally would wear contact lenses did not. P.putida is less pathogenic and so we also worked with this where possible.

b) Risks to the safety and health of the general public if released by design or accident?

We do not expect that any of our other biobricks could pose a danger to the health of the general public.

We will discuss this more on our Biobrick Safety page, which will be updated more fully towards the end of August. It can be accessed here: https://2011.igem.org/Team:Glasgow/Safetybiobricks.

c) Risks to environmental quality if released by design or accident?

We do not expect that any of our biobricks would pose a risk to the environment.

We will discuss this more on our Biobrick Safety page, which will be updated more fully towards the end of August. It can be accessed here: https://2011.igem.org/Team:Glasgow/Safetybiobricks.

d) Risks to security through malicious misuse by individuals, groups or states?

We do not expect that any of our biobricks could be used maliciously. We are working in a lab that has restricted access. It cannot be entered by the public We will discuss this more on our Biobrick Safety page, which will be updated more fully towards the end of August. It can be accessed here:https://2011.igem.org/Team:Glasgow/Safetybiobricks.

Specifically, are any parts or devices in your project associated with (or known to cause):
- pathogenicity, infectivity, or toxicity?
- threats to environmental quality?
- security concerns?
These issues will be considered on our Biobrick Safety Page.

Question 3: Under what biosafety provisions will / do you operate?

a) Does your institution have its own biosafety rules and if so what are they? Provide a link to them online if possible.

We have consulted our University’s biosafety guidelines. These can be accessed here:http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/seps/a-z%20index/biosafety/

b) Does your institution have an Institutional Biosafety Committee or equivalent group? If yes, have you discussed your project with them? Describe any concerns or changes that were made based on this review.

We spoke with our building safety officer. His response will be available on our Safety Assessments page.

c) Will / did you receive any biosafety and/or lab training before beginning your project? If so, describe this training.

Prior to the start of our time in the lab, each of us attended a three day training course designed to introduce us to the essential techniques we would need to work safely in the weeks to come. During this, we had our first chance to perform minipreps, run gels and carry out transformations. We were also given handy practical tips, such as safe handling and storage of bacteria, care when using reagents such as SybrSafe and working aseptically.

On our first day in the lab, we were given an in depth safety demonstration on how to use the equipment which was kindly loaned to us by David Somerville, of our institutes Microbiology Teaching Lab. After setting up our equipment in our new lab, we had a meeting with our building’s safety officer who discussed our project and the building we would be working in with us. We then went on a tour of the building, to ensure that everyone knew the location of fire exits, eye wash baths, first aid boxes and where we could find a first aider if so required. We spent the rest of our first day reading and signing the relevant COSHH forms. These were then compiled into a folder along with a copy of the instructions of all the equipment we could be using, and the data sheets for chemicals.

d) Does your country have national biosafety regulations or guidelines? If so, provide a link to them online if possible.

Biosafety level 1 & 2 - A table of practical guidelines for working with organisms of biosafety level 1 & 2
WHO Laboratory biosafety Manual, pp9-19 - A comprehensive list of instructions for working with biosafety level 1 & 2 organisms
UK Guidelines for working with Biological Agents - Specific UK guidelines for working with Biological Agents. A biological agent is defined as any organism, whether genetically modified or not, that is capable of infecting humans.