Team:UrbanTundra Edmonton/LabSafety
Lab Safety
General Lab Safety
All members of the team, even those not actively involved in the lab, underwent the environment health and safety training in WHMIS 2015 (Canada’s national workplace hazard communication standard) which incorporates the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals along with concepts in biosafety. This included education on hazardous materials, proper disposal methods, and safe behaviour in the lab. The education served all members well in understanding the correct methods and behaviours needed for lab work for each person’s personal safety, each other’s safety, and the success of our project.
Wetlab Safety
In addition to the WHMIS lab safety course and concepts in biosafety, the team handling things in the lab also took three additional courses which educated us on laboratory safety, chemical safety, and how to use the fire-extinguisher. The research team also went through additional training held by members of the UAlberta iGEM team and our advisor Rochelin Dalangin regarding proper aseptic techniques in order to eliminate contamination of the environment and of our project.
Throughout the project, we ensured to sanitize our lab benches with ethanol and used proper aseptic techniques to prevent contamination of our cultures and ensured that we wore proper personal protective equipment (lab goggles, lab coats, long pants, and closed-toed shoes).
