Lab
Routines
General
guidelines for all lab areas
-
Keep updated manuals in appropriate organizers in the labs
-
Label materials with date of preparation or first use so that old
things can be discarded
-
Use only intended materials such as pipettes, forceps and pens in the work
areas
üDo
not move materials between work areas or hoods
üView
every work area as a self-contained unit
üDo
not steal from other areas if something runs out
-
Usually there is a person routinely running experiments in each
area. When planning to run discuss with this person when you can interrupt
the routine work
-
Throw away hazardous chemicals in appropriate containers
üWhen
full, put containers in basement room B3:? and replace with an empty container
üRemember
to label the new hazardous waste container with orange sticker: chemical(s)
and date
-
Mark on whiteboard whenever something in the lab needs to be ordered
or addressed:
üWrite
what is needed, the date and your name
üMake
sure to write down things to be ordered well ahead of time
üNotify
the person who is going to place the next order that you have added to
the whiteboard list
üIf
you are the one to place the next order, check the whiteboard first and
mark what you will order with e.g. “ordered and date”
üWhen
receiving shipments, update the order list
-
Autoclave trays should be prepared continuously autoclaved when full
üAutoclaving
can be done either in lab or outside the lab
üAlways
use tape to show that autoclaving has been done
üPut
clean autoclaved materials in cupboard above the sink next to the extraction
room
General
guidelines
-
Keep clean from all contaminations that can affect PCR
-
Don’t clutter the work areas since several people will use the machines
Daily
routines
-
Clean LAF-bench areas with alcohol 70% before starting experiments
-
Clean LAF-bench areas after finishing and close the hoods
Weekly routines (Monday)
-
Prepare fresh 0.1% DEPC-treated autoclaved water: seven 250ml bottles –open
one per day
-
Clean LAF-bench areas and contained instruments with RNA:ase removal solution
General
guidelines
-
Discard old EB-gels and EB-containing running buffer in special chemical
waste containers
-
Make sure to keep work area clean to avoid EB-contamination (for personal
safety)
Daily routines
-
Rinse beakers for reuse after preparing agarose gels during the day
-
Rinse gel-trays and combs immediately after removing from gel
Weekly routines
-
Change agarose running-buffer (TBE 0.5X) weekly or bi-weekly depending
on usage
-
Prepare fresh stock solution (TBE 5X) when needed (if you finish it, you
prepare new)
Immuno
and western blot area
-
Use surface covers to absorb spill as needed and clean areas after use
-
Store antibodies in appropriate place(s)
-
General guidelines
-
Use extraction room only for extractions
üAvoid
this room when not performing extractions (may change depending on placing
of new equipment)
üClose
the door to keep Trizol inside and contaminants outside
-
Use ventilated work area for rotor knife homogenisation of tissues and
for work with Trizol
-
LAF-bench can be used for procedures where low risk of contamination is
needed, i.e. late steps in RNA extraction
-
Use only autoclaved pipette tips and tubes
Daily routines
-
Clean work areas with anti-RNAse and 70% alcohol before starting extractions
-
Autoclave homogenizator rotor-knife and other homogenisation instruments
after use
-
Throw all Trizol-waste in appropriate container
General guidelines
§Foremost
is to minimize all risk of radioactive contamination in the lab
§Wear
coat, gloves and dosage meter
§Use
protective shields when working with radioactive materials
§Consult
knowledgeable person or safety-data sheets before working with unfamiliar
isotopes
§Use
appropriate (depending on isotope used) containers for all disposables
§Remove
containers to B3: ? basement storage room when full and replace with empty
containers
Daily routines when using lab
§Use
Geiger counter to check areas before and after working
§Clean
all used areas after finishing
§Throw
away labelled probes that will not be used
Animal
experiments’ areas
Testing areas
§???
Surgery areas
§Always
clean and return instruments to proper place in steel cabinet.
§Keep
slide tray clean
§Keep
objectives clean
§Be
kind to the mercury lamp
Happy labbing, Erik