Team:Northern BC/Safety
Safety
Safety is one of iGEM’s top priorities. To make sure we were minimizing all risk to ourselves, the community, and the environment we followed the iGEM, as well as national/regional guidelines for safe lab procedures. To maintain safe practices you need to consistently think about the risks throughout the process of designing a project, implementing the design, and if the project became a product. The lab team also received biosafety I and II training and UNBC Student Laboratory Safety Orientation with Introductory WHMIS. Each lab member was also provided an orientation to the lab space we were working in, introduced to the other researchers in the lab, and provided an orientation and written instructions for the safe use of equipment in the lab.
Safe Lab Work
During our lab research we were only working in biosafety level 1 laboratories. We have general lab rules for this level of lab which include protective clothing (lab coat, goggles, gloves, long hair tied back, and closed toe shoes etc.). Everyone was also expected to disinfect their hands when entering the lab and after working in the lab. Additionally, lab coats were not worn outside of the lab.
Our lab was well outfitted with safety materials such as eye wash stations, emergency safety showers, spill kits, fire blankets, fire extinguishers, and fume hoods. There was also 24 hour access to security who were able to assist in the case of an emergency. Chemical cabinets were used for storage and we ensured all reagents were clearly labeled and stored appropriately. Material Safety Data Sheets were available on all reagents used.
Safe Project Design
We used the white listed resource from iGEM to ensure the organisms we were working with had minimal risk. In our experiments we worked with Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain BY4741 and Escherichia coli strain DH5alpha. There is little risk to us and the environment when using these organisms. Both strains are laboratory strains so they have been modified in such a way that they need supplements to grow, and without access to those supplements they will die. Both strains are non-pathogenic as well, and the risk of infection is virtually zero with the proper PPE and hygiene. The biosensor device would include genetically modified yeast, which poses minimal risk to the users of the biosensor, and since the yeast strain in our biosensor will die without nutrient supplementation if released in the environment, it poses minimal risk of environmental contamination.
When assessing the risk involved in our experiments we found minimal risks that could arise. The opioid we intended to use to test the system could pose health risks to us. If a particularly potent opioid was used in testing, special protocols were put in place to prevent exposure to the opioid, and our supervisor was going to be the only one handling the opioid for testing the biosensor. All opioids acquired for the project were to be stored in a locked safe, and a protocol was in place to monitor the amounts used. Furthermore, the concentration of opioids we obtained were very low (less than 1 mg/mL, well below a medical dose) which additionally reduces the risk that arises from the experiments. All opioids were approved by the chemical safety officer at the University of Northern British Columbia.
Our principal investigator and supervisor were always available to manage any risk in the lab. We also had various other individuals available who are in charge of safety and security at our university (Manager Health & Safety, Chemical Safety Officer, and Radiation Officer), as well as researchers who have expertise working with the organisms used in our project.
To help manage any risks that we identified we used various regulations and guidelines for British Columbia and Canada. For Risk Group 1 pathogens, such as the ones we used, the law and regulation that governs these items are the Hazardous Products Act, the Hazardous Products Regulations, and the BC Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. This is enforced by WorkSafeBC. Laboratory safety is also monitored and enforced by UNBC to ensure labs meet provincial and federal standards of safety.
For Risk Group 2 pathogens or biosafety related topics, the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act and its associated Regulations are the legal frameworks. Health Canada also publishes some Biosafety Standards and guidelines. These are found in the following links:
