Lab Safety and Chemical Handling

Flashcards based on lecture notes about lab safety and chemical handling, covering topics like NFPA labels, GHS, fire safety, electrical safety, compressed gases, biosafety, exposure control, and biosafety levels.

What is the NFPA label?

A diamond-shaped label with four different colored sections indicating the type and level of hazard (health, flammability, reactivity, and specific hazard) a chemical poses.

What does GHS stand for?

Globally Harmonized System; an international system for standardizing and harmonizing the classification and labeling of chemicals.

What is an SDS (Safety Data Sheet)?

A sheet provided by the chemical manufacturer that contains comprehensive information about the chemical, including its hazards, safe handling procedures, and emergency information.

What are the rules for labeling chemicals transferred to secondary containers?

The primary container must always be labeled, and the same information must be transferred to any secondary containers.

What does RACE (or RACEE) stand for in fire safety?

Rescue, Activate the alarm, Contain the fire, Extinguish/Evacuate.

What does PASS stand for when using a fire extinguisher?

Pull the pin, Aim the hose, Squeeze the lever, Sweep at the base of the fire.

What are some key points regarding electrical safety in the lab?

Avoid using equipment with frayed cords, report any electrical hazards, and do not use electrical equipment in wet conditions.

What safety precautions should be taken when handling compressed gas cylinders?

Compressed gas cylinders must be properly cleaned and secured to prevent them from falling and causing injury.

What are some key biosafety practices when working with potentially infectious materials?

Avoid touching your face, cover centrifuges, use a hood or splash shield when manipulating cultures, and pay attention to the task at hand.

What are general safety practices to follow in the lab?

Wash hands before and after procedures, and dispose of contaminated materials properly.

What is the main principle behind standard precautions?

Treat all samples as potentially infectious, and use appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).

How should access to the lab be controlled?

Access should be limited to trained personnel only, especially in specialized labs like AFB (acid-fast bacilli) or fungal labs.

What factors determine a microbe's biosafety level?

Route of transmission, infectious dose, stability in the environment, host range, and endemic nature.

What is 'infectious dose'?

The minimum amount of a pathogen required to cause infection.

In terms of infectious dose, which is worse: a high dose or a low dose?

A low infectious dose implies that only a small amount of the microbe is needed to cause infection, making it more dangerous.

What are the characteristics of Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1) agents?

Agents not associated with disease in healthy adults; requires minimal precautions like hand washing and PPE.

What are the characteristics of Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) agents?

Agents associated with human disease but generally treatable; requires the use of biosafety cabinets and appropriate PPE.

What are the characteristics of Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) agents?

Agents that can cause serious or lethal diseases but may be preventable or treatable; requires additional safety measures like negative pressure and restricted access.

What are the characteristics of Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) agents?

Agents that cause diseases that are not readily treatable or preventable and pose a high risk of life-threatening disease; requires maximum containment and specialized suits.

What is the key difference between a fume hood and a biosafety cabinet?

Biosafety cabinets have HEPA filters that remove infectious agents, while fume hoods only vent fumes away.

Which class of biosafety cabinet is typically used in microbiology and why?

Class II biosafety cabinets use sterile air, which prevents contamination of cultures which is required in microbiology.

What is the difference between Category A and Category B in the context of shipping infectious agents?

Category A are organisms that cause disease, and Category B are those that are kind of worse that aren't included in Category A.

Describe the basic procedure for packing infectious agents for shipping.

Wrap the sample in padded absorbent material, place it inside a biohazard bag, and then put everything inside a hard container.