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GMLP
& Risk Assessment
Just like any other practical activity in school science, all microbiology
investigations require the user to adopt good
laboratory practice. The techniques and activities suggested
in various sections of this website present minimum risk given good
practice. Before any practical activity is undertaken the golden
rule is to CARRY OUT A RISK ASSESSMENT. This should ensure that
there is minimal risk to all concerned. Information on model risk
assessments and the factors to be considered are provided in Part
1 of Basic Practical Microbiology: A Manual. Other publications
giving guidelines on risk assessment include Topics in Safety,
3rd edition, (ASE 2001), Microbiology: an HMI Guide (DES,1990)
and Safety in Science Education (DfEE, 1996). Details of
these and other publications are given in the SGM factsheet Safety
Resources.
Regulations
Activities involving micro-organisms are controlled by the Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations and teachers
and technicians have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work
Act to comply with any safety instructions given by their employers.
It is important to check on the local rules imposed by the LEA or
school governing body as these may differ in points of detail from
some of the information provided here.
Levels of work
Work in microbiology in schools is categorized into three levels.
Please note that these levels are NOT the same as 'levels of containment'
used by professional microbiologists. The Levels are as follows:
- Level 1:
work with organisms which have little, if any, known risk and
which can be carried out by teachers with no specialist training.
The organisms are observed in the closed containers in which they
are grown.
- Level 2:
work where there may be some risks of growing harmful microbes
but these are minimized by careful choice of organisms or sources
of organisms and by culturing closed containers which are taped
before examination and remain unopened unless the cultures inside
have been killed. L2 work may be carried out with pupils aged
11-16 (Key Stages 3 & 4) and by teachers who may require training
and some supervision which can be provided through a short course
or in school by another experienced biology teacher.
- Level 3:
work where cultures of KNOWN micro-organisms are regularly subcultured
or transferred. This work is normally restricted to post-16 students
and institutions with appropriate facilities. Teachers should
have received thoroughly training and be skilled in aseptic technique.
This is a higher level of training than required for L2 work.
Non-specialist teachers should not carry out or supervise this
work.
Personal
Protection
Food or drink should not be stored or consumed in a laboratory or
prep room that is used for microbiology. No-one should lick labels,
apply cosmetics, chew gum, suck pens or pencils or smoke in a laboratory
or prep room. Facilities should be provided within the laboratory
or prep room for hands to be washed with soap after handling microbial
cultures and whenever leaving the lab. Paper towels or some other
hygienic method should be used for drying hands. If contamination
of the hands is suspected, then they should be washed immediately
with soap and water. Cuts or abrasions should be protected by the
use of waterproof dressings or by wearing disposable gloves. Safety
glasses may be worn, according to local requirements.
Spillage
Management
Spills
Spillages of cultures must be reported immediately to the teacher
or technician to be dealt with quickly and records of such incidents
kept. Spilled cultures and debris must not be touched with unprotected
hands. Wearing disposable gloves, disinfect the area by covering
the spil with several layers of paper towel/cloth soaked in a suitable
disinfectant e.g. VirKon and leave for 15-30 minutes. (Information
on disinfectants is given in Basic Practical Microbiology: A
Manual p.7). Spill debris should then be swept into a dustpan
using paper towels. All autoclavable material should then be transferred
to a suitable container e.g. an autoclave or roasting bag, for autoclaving
and disposal. The dustpan must be decontaminated either by autoclaving
or soaking in Hypochlorite solution for at least 24 hours.
Broken glass
Any broken glass should be swept into a suitable container, autoclaved
and disposed of in a puncture-proof container.
Splashes on clothing and the skin
Contaminated clothing should be soaked in disinfectant. Splashes
on the skin should be treated as soon as possible, washing with
soap and hot water should be sufficient, but if necessary the skin
can be disinfected.
Spillage kit
Keep a spillage kit ready at all times which includes:
- Beaker for making fresh disinfectant
- Disposable gloves
- Dustpan and brush
- Paper towels/cloth
- Autoclave/roasting bag
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