Rickus Lab Safety

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EMERGENCY CONTACTS

Purdue Emergency Contacts

Prof. Rickus 494-1197

Important Safety Information Links

Purdue Biological Safety Manual

On-line Biological Safety Training

Handling Human Cell Lines

Purdue Chemical Hygiene Plan

Bindley Bioscience Center Building Policies

Purdue REM Laser Safety

Birck Nanotechnology Training

Safety Requirements for All Lab Members

All new lab members must:

1. Go through the Bindley Bioscience Center new user process (form to be completed, meet with building staff)
2. Read the Purdue Chemical Hygiene Plan
3. Sign the Chemical Hygiene Awareness Certificate. Turn in to Dr. Rickus
4. Read the Purdue Biological Safety Manual
5. Familiarize themselves with the Specific Safety Notes below for the areas in which they will be working
6. Take note of the Hazard Assessment Sheet on the door of your work area
7. Locate the MSDS books in your work area
8. Check in with Dr. Rickus to discuss and document the completion of these steps.

If you will be handling or working around biological samples. You must

1. Complete the on-line Biological Safety Training
2. Familiarize yourself with the Bindley Bioscience Center Policies
3. Discuss any particular hazards and the safety level of your work with Dr. Rickus
4. Complete and sign the biological safety training certificate. Turn in the form to Dr. Rickus.

If you will be working in BSL2 areas of Bindley or Birck, you must

1. Complete bloodborne pathogen training. Click Here to register

If you will be working with or around human cell lines (e.g. Caco-2, GAMB1) you must also:

1. Read the Handling Human Cell Lines presentation
2. Complete and sign the human cell line certification form located at the end of the training presentation.
3. Note that all human cell lines are considered at least BSL2, so you must complete bloodborne pathogen training.

Special Safety Notes of Particular Relevance to the Rickus Lab

general lab handling

1. Birck Nanotechnology Center. Absolutely NO biological materials are to enter Birck without explicit permission. To obtain permission and policies, please see Lisa Reece in the Molecular Cytometry Labs. lreece@purdue.edu
2. Dry Ice. Many of our incoming shipments will arrive packed in dry ice. Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide. Dry ice is extremely cold. Special care should be taken. Use insulated gloves to handle the dry ice. In addition, dry ice required good ventilation in the room. The solid CO2 will sublimate into gaseous CO2 which can fill a closed space and result in suffication.

Biomolecules Lab, Bindley Room 234

1. piranha solution. This solution is commonly used in the biopolymer chemical area to clean residual organics off of glass slides. It consists of sulfuric acid and H2O2 at a 3:1 ratio. It is a strong oxidizer. Do not handle pirahna unless you have been properly trained by Dr. Rickus. Some special safety notes regarding pirhana: Always prepare in the hood, with proper gloves, goggles, and lab coat. Piranha can cause severe burns. Never mix with organic solvents. Reactions are extremely exothermic. Piranha should not be stored. Make solutions fresh. Never seal in a closed container; explosions are possible. It should be used for removing only residual and trace levels of organic contamination. There are forceps and beakers that are set aside for use of piranha solution. Please do not use these materials for any other use!!!

Links to other university safety information regarding piranha. Princeton EHS U. of Maryland Tufts

Molecular Biology, Bindley 134

1. ethidium bromide. Ethidium bromide (EtBr), 3,8-diamino-5-ethyl-6-phenylphenanthridinium bromide, is commonly used as a non-radioactive marker for identifying and visualizing nucleic acid bands in electrophoresis and other methods of gel-based nucleic acid separation. EtBr is a dark red crystalline that readily fluoresces reddish-brown when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. EtBr is a potent mutagen and toxic after an acute exposure. It is an irritant to the skin, eyes, mouth, and upper respiratory tract. Direct contact with EtBr should be avoided. Read REM's safety information for proper handling and disposal of ethidium bromide

BSL2 Cell Culture Lab, 2nd floor

1. Training NO ONE is to enter this room without training and permission.
2. Cell Lines. All cells in 158 are Biosafety Level 1 or 2 cells. BSL2 procedures should be use at all times for all work in this lab.
3. Gas Cylinders Gad cylinders can serve as projectiles if damaged or knocked over. All cylinders must be properly secured using a chain or a strap. In addition, all cylinders must be either capped during storage or have a regulator during use. There should not be any uncapped cylinders in the lab or storage areas. If you need to handle gas cylinders, you must go through REM training.
4. Liquid Nitrogen

The Dog House, Bindley Room 152

1. Nitric Oxide Nitric Oxide (NO) is a Class A dangerous gas which could be inhaled without any obvious external indications (i.e. you might not know it). Nitric oxide can be directly toxic to blood, lungs, nervous system, pancreas and skin. NEVER intentionally inhale NO. NO should not be confused with the "laughing gas", nitrous oxide N2O, that you get at the dentist!
2. Laboratory Scale Please be sure to clean up the scale after use. This includes washing the weighing utensils, brushing off any spilled chemicals, and using a wet paper towel, if necessary.
3. pH Meter Please read and understand the instructions prior to use. If you are unsure of how to PROPERLY use the meter, please ask for assistance. We have recently had to purchase a new pH probe due to misuse.

The Dungeon, Bindley Room B025

1. Class IIIb lasers. Lasers are used in B025. You must head all posted signage regarding lasers. You must be trained and certified to use the lasers. No untrained personnel should touch an laser equipment. Please read the laser safety information provided by REM. Purdue Laser Safety
2. Gas Cylinders Gad cylinders can serve as projectiles if damaged or knocked over. All cylinders must be properly secured using a chain or a strap. In addition, all cylinders must be either capped during storage or have a regulator during use. There should not be any uncapped cylinders in the lab or storage areas. If you need to handle gas cylinders, you must go through REM training.
3. Biological Organisms. A range of biological samples including bacteria, biofilms, and mammalian cells lines are used (but not cultured) in B025. If you are working in this area you should read the biological safety handbook and heed all signage and biohazard labels. This reality also means that cross contamination between cells samples is possible. B025 should be regarded as a "terminal experiment" location. Cell cultures should generally not be returned to culture.

Safety Training Documentation

IMPORTANT. Please turn in any and all documentation regarding safety training to Dr. Rickus.