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

Section 7: Handling and Storage

Provides steps on how to handle and store the chemicals safely.
Includes precautions on how to handle carefully, to deal with incompatible chemicals, and to minimize environmental release.
Contains recommendations on storage along with incompatibilities.

Section 8: Exposure Controls/Personal Protection

Indicates exposure limits and procedures that can be used to limit exposure
States OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) exposure limit or other limit
Includes additional required controls such as exhaust ventilation usage etc
Recommends personal protective equipment best suited when interacting with chemical

Section 9: Physical and Chemical Properties

Identifies the chemical's physical and chemical properties. May include but not limited to:
- Appearance and odor
- pH and solubility
- Melting/freezing point and boiling range
- Flammability and explosive limit
- Vapor pressure and vapor density

Section 10: Stability and Reactivity

Describes reactivity of target chemical(s) when in contact with other chemicals
Indicates whether the chemical is stable or unstable under room temperature
Lists the conditions needed to store the chemical
States potential hazardous reactions that might occur and conditions that should be avoided (high heat, vibrations, electricity)

Section 11: Toxicological Information

Informs the routes of exposure
Describes the symptoms and effects of short and long-term exposure
Indicates whether chemical is a potential carcinogen and toxicity of chemical

Section 12: Ecological Information (non-mandatory)

Provides information on environmental impact of chemicals if they were released on accident
States impacts on wildlife, environment, and/or atmosphere

Section 13: Disposal Considerations (non-mandatory)

Provides guidance on proper disposal procedures
Describes the correct disposal containers to use
States special precautions for disposal in landfills

Section 14: Transport Information (non-mandatory)

Provides protocol for classifying the chemical when transporting it by land, air, or sea
May contain envrionmental hazard, UN number/name, and precautions on shipping chemical

Section 15: Regulatory Information (non mandatory)

Identifies remaining safety and regulations not covered elsewhere on SDS

Section 16: Other Information

Indicates when SDS was last revised or when SDS was actually created

Team Safety

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

Public Safety

We took certain measures to ensure that our project did not pose a threat to public safety. All E. coli strains handled were non-pathogenic, and are unlikely to survive in the wild even if released. All biomaterials were disposed of properly and all relevant lab equipment was autoclaved after use. Team members were not allowed outside of the lab while wearing gloves and refrained from touching doorknobs or any surfaces that would come in contact with the public. We cleaned all lab surfaces after use to ensure that others did not come in contact with our biomaterials.

Environmental Safety

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.

Team:Lambert GA/Safety