Safety

Decoding an SDS

Section 1: Identification

• Identifies chemical(s)
• States use of the chemical along with how not to use it
• Provides manufacturer's contact information

Section 2: Hazard(s) Identification

• Identifies hazards of chemicals and classification of harzard (ex: flammable liquid)
• Contains warming information for hazard(s) and precautionary statement(s)
• Pictograms and signal word
• Composition of mixture

Section 3: Compostion/Information on Ingredients

• Identifies ingredient(s) in product along with impurities and stabilizing additives.
• Substances
• Chemical name, synonyms, and Chemical Abstracts Service number
• Impurities and stabilizing additives
• Mixtures
• Same information required for substances
• Concentration for all ingredients that are health hazards and above concentration limit
• Trade secrets will allow the producer to not identify the chemical and/or concentration

Section 4: First-Aid Measures

• Contains necessary first-aid instructions by relevant routes of exposure (inhalation, skin and eye contact, and ingestion)
• Describes symptoms, delayed and present)
• Recommends special treatment and urgent medical care if needed

Section 5: Fire-Fighting Measures

• Steps on extinguishing the fire
• States hazards created from the chemical fire and special PPE needed

Section 6: Accidental Release Measures

• Provides steps on how to respond to releases (spills and leaks included)
• Includes precautions, emergency procedures, containment, and cleanup

All team members involved in lab procedures were required to adhere to certain lab guidelines as outlined by our advisors. The lab safety rules include but are not limited to:

• Wash in, wash out
• Protect eyes, mucous membranes, open cuts and wounds from contact with biohazard material
• Do not eat or drink when in the lab area
• Always use gloves and splash-proof goggles
• Tie back loose hair
• Disinfect all surfaces with 70% ethanol prior to working
• Disinfect all disposable tips, glassware, tubes by soaking in 10% bleach solution for 20 minutes and then disposing in normal waste
• Dispose of growth plates by disposing into a biohazard container which get autoclaved
• Check all equipment for good working order, no chips, torn cords, cracks. Report any issues to an instructor immediately
• When pipetting, don’t touch tip to side of container
• Don’t lay caps of tubes upside down. Use masking tape to hold to bottom of cabinets
• Clean work area with 70% ethanol after working
• Clean up all glassware and labware before leaving lab
• Place all backpacks and stools to the side of the lab to keep walkways clear
• Always know the correct procedure for disposal of lab materials

To ensure that our project did not propose a hazard to the environment, we used only transformation strains that were purchased through New England Biolabs or from the CSCG Keio Collection. Our project aim is to further characterize the degradation strength of two degradation tags, DAS and LAA, and as such our cell lines will never leave the lab, they will not pose a threat to the environment because they are non pathogenic and contained in a laboratory environment.