Welcome to Microbiology Lab. Place your belongings in the cubby and remember that long hair must be tied back before beginning any experiment. Use Amphil or Lysol to disinfect your table before and after lab.
Paper towels that are used to wipe disinfectant should go into the regular trash can. Make sure you wash your hands before and after lab. Under no circumstances is anyone allowed to eat or drink in the lab. Although the bacteria we use in lab is not pathogenic to healthy humans, always assume they are pathogenic and act accordingly.
Never ingest or smell any bacterial culture. This is for your own safety. No horseplay is allowed in lab. Report any spills, broken glasses, or accidents to the instructor immediately. Shoes must cover the entire foot.
No bare shoulders. You can wear a shirt or apron to cover your shoulders. Eye protection in apron or lab coat must be worn.
The goggles provided are sterilized in the UV cabinet and must be returned to the cabinet. Heat fixed and stained slides can go into the cardboard box. Remember, you may not take any prepared slides out of the lab to study at a different location. You will be caught!
Used swabs go into the red biohazard bags that are on the tables. Used pipettes go into the red jars on the table, and used pipette tips can go into the round plastic jars. The packaging can go into the regular trash can.
Wet mound slides have live organisms on them and must be put into the dish with disinfectant for disposal. Discarded petri dishes and microfuge tubes can go into the red biohazard bags on the tables. Take off the tape used for labeling from the discarded tubes of media and place them in the wire basket. Any plain broken glass that does not have bacteria may be put into the cardboard box.
If you break glass tubes with bacteria, first saturate the area with disinfectant, throw the paper towel used for cleaning bacteria into the red biohazard bag, and immediately notify the instructor. The broken glass must be swept up and put into the metal canister for sterilization. Never put any glass slide or tube or anything sharp in the red biohazard bag.
Stack petri plates on top of each other, tape them and write your name. Place them in the bin for incubation on the side counter. To label the tubes, do not use marker or sharpie directly on the tube.
Label the tube with tape around the tube below the cap. Combine the tubes in the test tube racks for incubation. Cultures used for incubation are found on the side counter and must be returned to the side counter. The test tube racks are color-coded for each table.
Stain bottles are found by the sink. All the staining is done at a sink and chemical hood for special stains. Gloves are not provided, but feel free to use your own.
Your desk number corresponds to the microscope number. You are responsible for taking care of your microscope and reporting any problems with it. Kim wipes are used to clean lenses and are discarded in a regular trash can.
Each student has a slide box, inoculating loop, a ruler, an apron, a clothespin, and a marker in their drawer. Remember, there are no open labs, so you must finish your experiment during your lab period. Follow these safety rules and procedures in lab and enjoy your semester.