Team:UiOslo Norway/Safety
Safety always comes first!
Safety training
All team members are enrolled as master students at the University of Oslo, Norway. As a result, in order to have access to the university's laboratory facilities during their studies, everyone had to complete compulsory courses in safety and physical environment, laboratory safety and fire safety. More details about the individual safety courses can be found on the university website at the following links: HMS0501 – Safety and Physical Environment , HMS0503 – Laboratory Safety , HMS0507 – Fire Safety .
Lab safety
All of our lab work was performed in BSL-2 labs. Before we started the lab work, we were made aware of potential risks in the lab and we were instructed on what precautions we should take while working there. The lab responsible made sure we read and signed safety forms containing the rules for handling waste, chemicals and GMOs in the lab.
The materials we used during our lab work are rated as BSL-1 and pose no risk, but we still took precautions and used lab coats and gloves while conducting our experiments. By using standard lab protocols all agents could be inactivated and therefore did not pose any risks. We were introduced to all of the instruments we used during our project and we made sure that no one would use them if they were uncertain in how to use them, limiting the potential risks to ourselves or to the other colleagues present in the lab.
We used multiple chemicals to make the physical solar cells. Before using any of them we read the safety data sheets to know what risks they may pose. To be sure not to inhale any of the powder or released toxins, we made sure to make the paste and assemble the solar cell in a fume hood, using gloves and lab gowns for personal protection.
While doing laboratory work we were supervised at all times either directly by our supervisors or by others working in the lab. All the lab supervisors have a long history of working with different types of organisms and experimental set-ups. Their expertise was highly relevant for our project and it ensured that experiments were done according to strict regulations and protocols.
The Gene Technology Act (Act of 2 April 1993 No. 38 Relating to the Production and Use of Genetically Modified Organisms, etc.) can be found on the official website of the Norwegian government.