LABORATORY SAFETY PROCEDURES

BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

REVISION 2 - January 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction to Laboratory Safety	2
OVERVIEW	4
EMERGENCY CONTACTS	5
FIRE PROCEDURES	7
FIRE, ALARMS AND EMERGENCY EVACUATION	8
BIOLOGICAL SAFETY overview	9
biological safety requirements	10
PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 2 FACILITY	10
PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 2 COMPLIANCE	11
INFECTION CONTROL	12
PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 2 - WORK PRACTICES	14
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT	15
LABORATORY DECONTAMINATION	16
STERILISATION PROCEDURES	17
DISPOSAL OF BIOLOGICAL WASTE	18
IMMUNISATION	19
biological warning signs	19
transportation of sPECIMENS	19
BIOLOGICAL ACCIDENTS AND REPORTING	20
RECORD OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL	20
HAzardous substance management	20
useful links	21

SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Introduction to Laboratory Safety 

The University of WA has a legal and moral responsibility to its staff and students to provide a hazard free workplace.  To meet the requirement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and Regulations, UWA has put in place its own Safety and Health policy, procedures and guidelines.   It is the responsibility of all faculties, schools and sections to ensure these principles are complied with. 

Everyone in the School of Mechanical Engineering, including students, has the responsibility to abide by the safety policies and procedures of the University and the School to ensure a hazard free environment and safe workplace.  The degree of responsibility is related to the level of authority and control that a particular individual has in the workplace.  Everyone has an obligation to take all reasonable care to protect themselves and others from injury.

Staff and students should be aware that the following School policies apply to every person entering any of the School's laboratories.

Project Induction - No one is permitted to work unsupervised in laboratories or workshops unless they have completed a Project Induction form with their supervisor advising them of all specific hazards relating to the assigned task and the environment.
Safety Footwear - No person will be permitted to enter any laboratory, with the exception of computer laboratories, unless they are wearing suitable enclosed footwear.  Sandals, thongs and open shoes are not regarded as acceptable footwear.
Eye Protection - This is compulsory in all designated areas. These areas are mainly confined to workshops and chemical laboratories where the risk of serious eye injury is highest. Notification signs placed at entrances will identify areas requiring the use of safety glasses.
Working Alone - No student is permitted to work alone between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m., or weekends and public holidays in laboratories or workshops, without the express permission of their supervisor.  Students working alone must be aware of UWA emergency procedures and may only work where a phone is accessible.  It is a requirement that another person is notified of their arrival and departure times.  In situations involving high voltage, rotating machinery and hazardous chemicals or any other potentially hazardous situation, another person must be present in case of emergency.

Certain operations may not be performed by staff or students outside of normal working hours:
http://www.mech.uwa.edu.au/safety/policy/workingalone.html

For further information on School policies refer to the following location:
http://www.mech.uwa.edu.au/safety/policy/workingalone.html

Please read the contents of this Laboratory Safety Procedures folder thoroughly since it contains important information on the safety systems and procedures that apply to the area you will be working in.  Ensure that the contents are completely understood before signing and returning the Laboratory Training Record.

Your cooperation will not only assist in preventing injuries, but also help to maintain a safer and more efficient work environment for everyone.

OVERVIEW

Laboratory safety is an important issue that needs to be brought to the attention of all staff and students commencing work in laboratories.  The Laboratory Safety Procedures folder contains important information on generic safety aspects as well as specific hazards and safe work procedures for each laboratory group.

The School of Mechanical Engineering operates a diverse range of laboratories, which implies that staff and students will be exposed to numerous hazards.  These include mechanical and electrical hazards, radiation, chemical explosion and toxicity as well as infection from biological agents.  In order to maintain a safe working environment for themselves and others sharing the facility, it is essential that everyone is familiar with the system of work and the safety procedures for that area.

To make this information more relevant and specific, School laboratories have been divided into three groups:
1)	Chemical laboratories
2)	Biological laboratories
3)	General laboratories

All staff and students commencing work in each of those designated laboratories will receive a copy of the relevant Laboratory Safety Procedures folder from the School Safety Officer.

Staff and students will receive a guided introduction to important areas of safety and laboratory procedures, but will also be required to read and understand the contents of the Laboratory Safety Procedures folder before signing a Risk Management Checklist.

It is important to note that the Laboratory Safety Procedures are only intended to supplement other forms of induction and training that are provided by the individual's supervisor.  Staff working unsupervised are required to be aware of all area related hazards and safe operating procedures as well as receive specific training on the assigned task.   All students working unsupervised are required to complete a Project Safety Induction.

 

EMERGENCY CONTACTS	

EMERGENCY
2222	

CALL THIS NUMBER FOR ALL EMERGENCIES
AND GIVE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

•	THE TYPE OF EMERGENCY
•	YOUR LOCATION (BUILDING AND ROOM NUMBER)
•	YOUR NAME AND PHONE EXTENSION	

AUTHORISED FIRST AID OFFICERS	
REFER TO FIRST AID SIGNS OR WEB   http://www.mech.uwa.edu.au/safety/firstaid.html	

EMERGENCY PHONE CONTACTS	
AMBULANCE	2222	
FIRE	2222	
HOSPITAL	(0) 9346 3380 (QE 2 'G Block' Emergency)	
DOCTOR	2118 (UWA Medical Centre - office hours)	
POISONS INFORMATION CENTRE	0 13 11 26 (24 hours)	
SECURITY OFFICE	2222 (All after hours emergencies)	
SCHOOL CHIEF FIRE WARDEN	http://www.mech.uwa.edu.au/safety/structure.html	
SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICER	http://www.mech.uwa.edu.au/safety/structure.html	

FIRE DETECTORS	
FIRE DETECTORS ARE FITTED IN EVERY ROOM 	

LOCATION OF FIRST AID BOXES	
Location 1	Major Box	G50 Corridor	
Location 2	Major Box	G52 Corridor	
Location 3	Major Box	G60 Workshop	
Location 4	Minor Box	G27 Manufacturing Laboratory	
Location 5	Minor Box	1.81 Materials Testing Laboratory	
Location 6	Minor Box	Second floor stair landing near to lift	

FIRE PROCEDURES	

IN CASE OF FIRE	

SHOUT FIRE AND SOUND ALARM

PHONE 2222

IF SAFE TO DO SO USE APPROPRIATE EXTINGUISHER	

HELP PEOPLE FROM BUILDING

CLOSE WINDOWS AND DOORS AND
SWITCH OFF  ALL EQUIPMENT	

EVACUATE THE BUILDING AND FOLLOW
THE INSTRUSTIONS OF THE FIRE WARDENS OR EMERGENCY SERVICES	

FIRE, ALARMS AND EMERGENCY EVACUATION

1)	Emergency Evacuation
If the fire alarm sounds then all areas of the Engineering Building should be evacuated immediately.
Leave the building in an orderly fashion without delay and assemble on the James Oval or at the western side of car park number 14. Do not assemble too close to the building and follow the instructions of fire wardens or emergency service personnel at all times. Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so by your building warden.

DO NOT USE LIFTS IN AN EMERGENCY OR FIRE EVACUATION!	

ALARM TONES	ACTION	
Alert Tone (1 minute) Voice Evacuation	Fire or emergency evacuation	
Brief Alert Tone	Testing only - no action	

2)	Fire and Explosion
A fire alarm will be generated by activation of a fire detector.  Simultaneous alarms will sound in the communication centre of the Fire and Rescue Service and the University Security and Central Control Room.  A visual indication of the location is presented on the Fire Indicator Panel located in the west main entrance foyer.
IF A FIRE ALARM SOUNDS AT NIGHT OR ON A WEEKEND, ALERT SECURITY ON 2222 AND THEN ATTEMPT TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE AND ASSIST INJURED PEOPLE.
ONLY TRY TO FIGHT THE FIRE IF IT IS SMALL AND CONTAINABLE AND YOU ARE CONFIDENT TO USE THE CORRECT EXTINGUISHER!
Portable Fire Extinguishers are located in prominent positions in passageways around the building. In some cases an extinguisher station will offer more than one type of extinguisher.  Most extinguishers are Carbon Dioxide or Dry Chemical types.  These are suitable for most types of fire, however, be aware that Dry Powder may damage expensive instrumentation.  Both types are suitable for electrical fires. 
Beware! Do not use Water or Foam extinguishers on electrical fires and do not use Water extinguishers on flammable liquid fires.

BIOLOGICAL SAFETY overview

The safety requirements and guidance material contained in this document applies to all laboratories where work is carried out with human and animal materials.

It is the legal 1 and moral responsibility of all supervisors to ensure that people working in biological areas are properly trained and fully comply with University policies and procedures on infection control.  It is important that anyone working with biological material is aware of potential hazards associated with pathogens and takes all necessary precautions.

Surveys show that of all laboratory acquired infections 20% occur as a result of skin penetration injuries eg. needle stick etc.  The remaining 80% occur as a result of the inhalation of infectious agents such as aerosols produced by many common laboratory operations.

The following Biological Safety Procedures represent the minimum requirement that is acceptable to the University and the School for carrying out biological work.  The procedures and guidelines will assist workers in achieving a safer working environment through infection control and decontamination.  

1 Occupational Safety and Health Procedures 1996. 

biological safety requirements
	
	PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 2 FACILITY
A Physical Containment Level 2 (PC2) facility is suitable for work with micro-organisms in Risk Group 2 as defined in AS/NZS 2243.3:2002.  A PC2 facility also incorporates all facilities, equipment and practices for Containment Level 1.

Risk Group 2 relates to the Classification of Infective Microorganisms by Risk Group.  Worldwide, four risk groups are defined according to the degree of risk and the appropriate Containment Level.  Each group is defined nationally according to the microorganisms encountered within the country's boundaries.  The risk group for Australia and New Zealand is a modification of the World Health Organisation guidelines and is based on pathogenicity of the microorganism, the mode of transmission and the host range, the availability of effective preventative measures and the availability of effective treatment.

Risk Group 2 is defined as follows:
•	Moderate individual risk and limited community risk.  Risk group 2 pathogens can cause human, plant and animal disease, but are unlikely to be a serious hazard to laboratory workers, the community, livestock, or the environment; laboratory exposure may cause infection, but effective treatment and preventative measures are available, and the risk of spread is limited.

The School of Mechanical Engineering has one PC2 facility suitable for work with materials of human origin, this is Biological Laboratory 1.74 - Supervisor Associate Professor B Kirk.

An additional PC1 rated laboratory is suitable for work with animal materials; this is Tribology Laboratory G28 - Supervisor Professor G Stachowiak.

No other laboratory in the School may be used for biological work involving human or animal materials.

Laboratory compliance is in accordance with the recommendations of Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS2243.3:2002 Safety in Laboratories Part 3 and Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS2982.1:1997 Laboratory Design and Construction Part 1 for Physical Containment Level 2.
	
PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 2 COMPLIANCE
PC2 compliance is dependent on both the physical construction of the laboratory and the operational procedures and level of experience and training of the researchers using the facility.  All of these factors will be assessed by the University Safety Committee (USC) in approving (or revoking) the School's PC2 operation. 

The University Biological Safety Officer is responsible for inspecting all PC2 laboratories at least annually to ensure that they comply with the relevant standards.

Researchers working in the PC2 facility with materials of human origin must clearly understand their obligations to comply with the requirements of the USC and the University Human Research Ethics Committee.

The University requires that all research involving fresh, unfixed human tissues be reviewed and approved by the University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC).  In circumstances where research is carried out in conjunction with a hospital department it is necessary to check that patient consent and ethics approval has been obtained.  It is the responsibility of the chief investigator to ensure that they have documented proof of compliance with ethics requirements.

UWA is an accredited organisation with the Office of Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR).  As such it is a requirement that the University Biological Safety Officer must be advised if any work involving gene technology be undertaken in the School of Mechanical Engineering.

	
INFECTION CONTROL
The effectiveness of an infection control program is dependent on the training of laboratory personnel and their fundamental understanding of the transmission modes of potentially infectious agents.  This includes understanding the mechanisms associated with propagation of bacterial, fungal and viral agents that are responsible for infections.  

It is an established general safe practice to assume that all blood, blood products, body fluids and associated materials are potentially infectious and treat them accordingly.  By employing a consistent infection control program in conjunction with good personal hygiene the spread of infection can be minimised or eliminated.

The most common sources of infection are ingestion, inhalation or skin penetration.  It is important that the laboratory develop its own unique infection control program based on probable transmission routes for these three common infection sources.  Each research project will consist of a sequence of biological specimen handling tasks carried out in the PC2 workplace environment using specific tools and equipment.  These operations must be accompanied by a risk identification, assessment and control model that will identify infection risk and place the necessary controls in place through planning, procedures and use of personal protective equipment.

The microscopic size of infectious pathogens means that there is no continuous quantitative feedback method to measure the effectiveness of control measures. The onset of illness is the only identifiable outcome.  Inadequate infection control procedures will not generate pathologies if no infectious pathogens were present!  This emphasises the need for a consistent and thorough application of the established operational procedures at all times.

The ingestion of sources of infection can be quite subtle and removed from the original source.  This can be controlled by good hygiene and understanding of transmission paths.  The most direct method of transmission is from hand to face or mouth. Examples of other more indirect pathways would be hand or glove contact with a contaminated surface, followed by the transfer of pathogens to a pen, book, disk or other object that is taken outside the biological facility or comes into contact with a persons face or mouth.  Restricting potentially infectious material to specific areas of the laboratory, and carrying out regular decontamination and good hygiene will control this problem.

Aerosols are a continuous hazard being the most common way in which infection is propagated.  Any operations such as dissection, sectioning or manipulation of biological tissue will generate aerosols that can be inhaled into the lungs.  The risk to researchers can be minimised by ensuring that surgical masks are always worn during these operations and that procedures generating higher levels of aerosol or dust, such as drilling, are carried out in a fume cupboard or biological safety cabinet if it is available.

The risk of skin penetration is most common when handling or disposing of needles, syringes, scalpel blades and other sharp instruments.  Skin puncture injuries are the primary cause of blood-borne disease transmission in the health industry.  These particular infection risks can be controlled by adherence to proper handling and disposal methods.  Researchers should be aware of the suitability of tools and equipment used in specific operations, both from the aspect of effective decontamination as well as cuts and injuries from sharp corners and edges during use ie, workshop tools and vices being used in place of their surgical counterparts.

These principles can be applied to most processes and operations that are carried out in a biological research facility.  Researchers are encouraged to apply these approaches in identifying sources and transmission of potential pathogens and develop their own infection control programs and written procedures for recurrent or high-risk tasks.   

 
	
PHYSICAL CONTAINMENT LEVEL 2 - WORK PRACTICES

•	Access to the laboratory shall be limited to laboratory personnel and persons specified by the laboratory management - laboratory must be closed while work is in progress and signage in place that potentially infectious material is in use
•	Authorised laboratory personnel shall receive instruction and training, with regular updates, in handling pathogens
•	All clinical specimens should be considered as potentially hazardous
•	Use of needles and syringes require special care.  Never attempt to re-sleave the instruments prior to disposal in a sharps container -  sharps containers shall be provided at every point of use and be disposed of by incineration
•	Laboratory staff shall advise maintenance and service personnel of the special microbiological hazards existing in the laboratory - potentially contaminated surfaces shall be disinfected before maintenance of equipment is conducted
•	Protective clothing shall be removed before leaving the laboratory area and stored or disposed of in the facilities provided - hands should be disinfected after the removal of gloves
•	Eating, drinking, storage of food and application of cosmetics is prohibited in the biological laboratory - hands, pens and pencils can become contaminated from dirty surfaces, liquids and aerosols and should be kept away from the face
•	Long hair should be tied back and covered with a disposable surgical hat as it constitutes both a fire risk and a risk of contamination
•	Do not mouth pipette - rules for the correct use of pipetting devices and syringes shall be followed
•	Take care to minimise the production of aerosols where work is carried out on an open bench
•	A period of at least 5 minutes shall be allowed for aerosols to settle before opening homogeniser or sonicator containers in a fume hood or biological safety cabinet
•	Take precautions to ensure that reading and writing materials do not become contaminated
•	Clean up all spills immediately and decontaminate the area - report significant spills and accidents immediately to the laboratory supervisor - decontaminate work benches at least daily and after each work task is completed
•	Use a fume cupboard or biological safety cabinet for all operations that are likely to produce aerosols
•	Personnel wishing to transport material between institutions are advised to pay particular attention to various statutory regulations regarding transport of biological materials that may be regarded as infectious.
	
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
The following clothing and Personal Protective Equipment must be worn in PC2 facilities when working with biological materials of human or animal origin:

•	Protective clothing that offers protection to the front of the body - it is preferable to wear a wrap-around theatre or laboratory gown or coverall

•	Safety glasses or face shields should be worn to protect the eyes and face from splashes and other hazards - contact lenses do not offer suitable protection

•	Surgical caps to cover the hair

•	Disposable latex or vinyl surgical gloves should be worn when working with biological materials to prevent contamination of the hands - stainless steel mesh gloves should be worn if there is a risk of cuts from sharp instruments - it is always important to ensure that cuts and scratches are properly covered with a waterproof dressing

•	Closed footwear should be worn at all time in laboratories and disposable overshoe covers worn during any sectioning procedures

•	Respiratory protection is required for any operations likely to produce aerosols or dust, or involving the clean up of spills - always wear a wrap around surgical mask during these operations and use the fume hood or biological safety cabinet whenever possible.

The above listed items of clothing and protective equipment are the minimum requirement for biological work in PC2 laboratories and provide a barrier to minimise the risk of exposure to aerosols, splashes and accidental inoculation.  However, it is the individual's responsibility to select the most appropriate equipment according to the nature of the work being performed and subsequent risk.

The extent of use of personal protective equipment may vary between tasks, therefore, it is advisable to document the requirements for frequently executed tasks.

For further information on personal protective equipment refer to:
http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/personal_protective_equipment_guidelines

	LABORATORY DECONTAMINATION
Laboratory decontamination refers to the disinfection of all benches, work surfaces and equipment that has or may have come into contact with potentially infectious material.  All benches and work surfaces should be wiped down with disinfectant at least once a day when work is in progress.

The following chemicals are recommended since they are known to kill HIV and hepatitis B if they are mixed and applied according to the manufacturers' instructions.  Before using these chemicals it is important to have a copy of the relevant Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and follow the safety instructions.

1)	Sodium Hypochlorite
Sodium hypochlorite is recommended as a safe and effective agent against HIV and Hepatitis A, B, C and D when it is left in contact for at least 10 minutes.  Use 10,000 ppm (1%) solution for areas soiled with blood or body fluids.  Carry out a second wipe using 10,000-ppm (1%) solution and dispose of all wiping pads etc into the contaminated waste collection.  For walls, benches, floor and other objects that may be contaminated but not visibly soiled, use a 0.5% solution.  Finally, clean each area with water and commercial detergent.  

The effective strength of chlorine solution decreases with storage, therefore, fresh solutions should be prepared each day.

Sodium hypochlorite may be corrosive to some metal surfaces and should not be left in contact for more than 10 minutes.  Wash metal objects in warm water and detergent and allow to dry.  Spray with Inox if corrosion is likely to be a problem.

2)	Ethanol
Caution:	Ethanol is classified as a hazardous substance.  It is highly flammable and should not be used near ignition sources.

Ethanol used in a 70% solution with contact for 20 minutes is effective against a wide range of pathogens including HIV and Hepatitis A and B, but is ineffective against Hepatitis C and D agents.  Industrial methylated spirits is an acceptable alternative since it has a 95% ethanol concentration. 

Note that some disinfectants are more effective than others in deactivating specific pathogens.  Also, be aware that some disinfectants are better suited for certain decontamination procedures. Written laboratory procedures should be developed for routine decontamination tasks, based on the disinfection agents that are stocked and the cleaning methods used.

	STERILISATION PROCEDURES
Many laboratory borne infections are transmitted via instruments and surfaces that have not been properly decontaminated.  The dangers of Hepatitis and HIV are well known but a range of other bacterial, fungal and viral microorganisms may also cause infection.

In order to meet the best practice in decontamination it is a basic principle to assume that all human and animal materials are infectious.

After working with any of the above materials the following sterilisation procedures should be followed for all instruments and devices used:

•	Disassemble all used mechanical devices and instruments and wipe individual parts with alcohol based wipes - collect all solid debris and discarded wipes together and place in a biohazard bag

•	Spray each part and individual instruments with sodium hypochlorite and leave for 10 minutes - leaving much longer than 10 minutes may result in corrosion

•	Autoclave all items according to autoclaving instructions

•	After sterilisation, wash in warm water and detergent (dishwashing liquid) and allow item to dry

•	Spray all metallic items with Inox spray to prevent corrosion

•	Store in a well-ventilated area - good ventilation has excellent decontamination properties.

Written procedures should be generated to instruct researchers on the appropriate sterilisation routines for the vessels, tools and equipment used during a task involving human or animal tissues.

DISPOSAL OF BIOLOGICAL WASTE
All biological waste generated from this PC2 facility should be regarded as potentially infectious and disposed of in accordance with State 2 and Commonwealth 3 regulations.  These regulations require that contaminated waste material shall be sterilised, preferably by autoclaving and be disposed of by incineration.

All scalpel blades, needles, syringes and other disposable items used in procedures with material of human origin both fixed and unfixed, must be disposed of with other contaminated waste on completion of the experiment.  These items will be placed in a biohazard bag and taken to the School of Anatomy and Human Biology or Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital for incineration.

For additional information on the disposal of sharps refer to the University Policy titled Sharps Injury and Disposal of Sharps. 

Human limbs and other body parts that remain unused on completion of experiments should be returned to the Department of origin at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital according to the human ethics requirements and the conditions of the research.

Experiments involving animal tissues that may be carried out in PC2 Laboratory 1.74 or Tribology Laboratory G28 require that all scalpel blades, needles, syringes and other disposable implements to be disposed of into sharps and broken glass containers. 

University policy requires that all material of animal origin be placed into a biohazard bag and taken to the School of Anatomy and Human Biology for disposal by incineration.  Under no circumstances should animal materials be disposed of in the University’s rubbish bins.  This regulation is specific to prevent animal material from becoming a host or source of infectious pathogens.

Sharps and broken glass disposal bins should be collected for disposal at regular intervals, as defined in operating procedures.  Disposal arrangements will be via a commercial contractor or the School of Anatomy and Human Biology.

Complete details of disposal procedures for different groups of contaminated and non-contaminated waste should be documented, including all contact names and telephone numbers.

2 'Guidelines for the Storage, Transport and Disposal of Medical Waste' Health Department of WA.
3 'Safety in Laboratories - Microbiology' AS2243.3 and 'National Guidelines for Management of Clinical and related Waste' NHMRC. 

IMMUNISATION
The nature of work carried out in a biological facility may involve increased potential for exposure to pathogens through various routes of infection.  The School of Mechanical Engineering advises all students and research staff proposing to work in biological laboratories that it is in their best interest to be immunised against tetanus and Hepatitis B.  This will involve a course of 3 injections at the UWA Medical Centre over a period of 6 months at no cost to the individual.
	biological warning signs
Biological laboratories must carry a sign on the door indicating the level of containment.  A similar sign must be visible inside the laboratory accompanied by a set of laminated procedures for the designated level of work.  These procedures are contained in the Physical Containment 2 - Work Practices section of this document.

In addition, all biological hazards must be clearly indicated by standard biological warning signs.  Two types of biological warning signs are recommended:

•	Biological Hazard - black on yellow background, available as a larger self adhesive sign

•	Infectious Substance - black on white background, available as Dangerous Good Class triangular label.

The latter is most suitable for labelling specimen containers and vials.  Where possible, provide information on the type and degree of risk and the person responsible.

All storage areas such as fridges that contain biological specimens must carry a Biological Hazard warning.

transportation of sPECIMENS
Potentially infectious specimens taken outside of the PC2 laboratory must be transported in a double containment system.  Both the primary and secondary containers must be leak proof.  In addition, the primary specimen container should be sealable and the outside container must not be breakable.  
All transported specimen containers must be labelled to indicate the contents and have a contact name and address.  An infectious material warning label must be visible.
	
BIOLOGICAL ACCIDENTS AND REPORTING
All accidents and near misses are to be reported to the individual’s supervisor or the School Safety Officer.  A Confidential Incident/Injury Report form will need to be completed and forwarded to the University Safety and Health Office, within 24 hours.

All injuries and accidents resulting from procedures with unfixed human tissue should be regarded seriously.  In cases where there is skin penetration, the wound should be encouraged to bleed under running water.  Splashes to the face, eyes and mouth should be immediately flushed with water at the emergency eyewash station.

In these circumstances it is advisable to have the pathology of the instrument or tissue tested in order to more accurately assess the risk associated with the incident.  All accidents of this magnitude must be reported to the supervisor and the individual concerned must attend the University Medical Centre or a General Practitioner for assessment.

A detailed set of incident and accident procedures should be written to cover accidents involving all common exposure paths to potentially infectious material, including spill clean up routines.

Refer to the University Policy on Sharps Injury and Disposal of Sharps for further details.

	RECORD OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL
The University requires a register be kept for the PC2 Laboratory to record the acquisition and disposal of all biological material used in experiments and research activities.  This information will provide a chronological record for the School and external audits of all experiments involving the use of human and animal materials and the method of disposal of these materials. 

	HAzardous substance management
Biological research work can involve the handling and use of hazardous chemical substances of a toxic, explosive or flammable nature.  To comply with Government legislation and University policy, researchers must comply with the School's Hazardous Substance Management System that controls the registration, use and storage of hazardous substances.  Further information on this system may be found at the following location: 
http://www.mech.uwa.edu.au/mech/safety/hazardsub.html 

	useful links
The following web addresses may be useful sources of information for further information on UWA policies and procedures relating to biological compliance and safety.

Biological Hazards:
http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/biological_hazards

Infectious Diseases:
http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/infectious_diseases