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General Laboratory Practices
Before doing anything listen for instructions and ask questions.
It is better to work after all instructions have been read and protocols understood.
An ounce of caution is well worth the time.
- Do not eat, drink or chew in the laboratory and keep your hands, pencils, etc. away from your mouth and face. The organisms used in the laboratory could potentially become pathogens if ingested. It
is important to use safety precautions when handling microbiological samples of all types.
- Wash hands immediately on entrance to the lab and be prepared to glove up. Long hair should be tied up and covered.
- Before every laboratory exercise, swab your bench space with a sponge and the anti-microbial solution provided. Do the same after completing each exercise.
- Place a clothe on lab top bench with disinfectant for easy access if spillage occurs.
- Do not remove test tube caps and petri dish lids and place them on the bench top. The bench top, your hands, sterile media, etc. could become contaminated with the unwanted organisms. Test tube caps
are to be held in the hand, open end down, and replaced as soon as possible. Petri dish lids are to be lifted partially, not removed entirely, and replaced as soon as possible.
- You will be given directions for handling pipettes, lancets, applicator sticks and swabs. Follow directions strictly, holding these items only by the upper end and never laying them down.
Aseptic techniques will be demonstrated during laboratory exercises. They should be closely observed in order to obtain correct results.
- Be sure to become familiar with where all equipment can be located.
- Applicator sticks, swabs and Pasteur pipettes are decontaminated after use and before discarding. Place them (contaminated end down) in the appropriate receptacle located on the bench top.
- Discard all reusable glassware such as slides, pipettes, test tubes and petri dishes in the containers provided for used petri dishes (glass only) and test tubes. Remove all labels (acetone works well)
before placing the contaminated glassware in the discard containers. The petri dishes should be placed in the containers right side up and not inverted. When plastic plates and tubes are used,
autoclave bags will be provided for disposal.
- There are containers on the benches for dry waste disposal. These are to be used for lens tissue, blotting paper, etc. DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ELSE IN THEM!
- If a culture is dropped or spilled, flood immediately with disinfectant, cover with pre-treated clothe, wait at least 5 minutes and clean up thoroughly. Notify instructor immediately.
- Wash your hands with a germicidal soap provided at each sink before leaving the laboratory.
- Laboratory coats are not required in this lab but may be used if desired. Staining reagents are used in some exercises which may permanently discolor clothing if caution is not taken. ( It would be wise to
cover clothing with a large shirt, lab apron or lab coat.)
ADAPTED FROM Barbara K. Hudson’s, Microbiology in Today’s World.
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