This document outlines the laboratory safety protocol for a microbiology laboratory course. It discusses the course assessments, which include quizzes, a midterm exam, and a final exam. It also describes the various biosafety levels based on the infectious agents being studied, with biosafety level 4 requiring the highest level of containment. The basic safety requirements for the microbiology laboratory are provided, including maintaining a clean work area, wearing protective clothing and closed-toe shoes, prohibiting food and drinks, proper pipetting techniques, hand washing, and autoclaving contaminated materials.

1. Laboratory Safety
Protocol
Zari Esa M.Saleh
MSc. Medical Science
2014-2015

2. School of Medicine
• 1st Semester 2.5%
• 1 Quiz + 1.5 Lab book
• Mid Year Exam 10%
• 2nd Semester 2.5%
• 1 Quiz + 1.5 Lab book
• Final Year Exam 20%

3. Introduction
• Laboratory safety rules are a major aspect of
every microbiology lab.
• Each student in microbiology laboratory must
follow specific safety rules and procedures.
The safety rules in this lecture are intended as
guidelines and an overview of laboratory
safety

4. Hazards of Clinical Laboratory work
 Clinical laboratory personnel and employees are
subjected to the risk of the followings:
1. Biological hazards (infection-infectious agents).
2. Chemical hazards.
3. Physical hazards.
 In response to these hazards, certain guidelines have
been developed to protect workers and student in
microbiological and medical labs through a
combination of safety rules.

5. Biosafety levels.
• Based on the degree of hazard posed by the infectious
agents, labs are divided into four biosafety levels.
• Biosafety Level 1: Agents are not known to cause
disease in healthy adults, however some organisms
may cause disease in immunocompromised
individuals.
• Agents include Bacillus subtilis, infectious canine
hepatitis virus, non-pathogenic E. coli species
• Standard practices are required for laboratory work at
this level and work may be done on an open bench top.

6. Biosafety levels.
• Biosafety level 2: Agents associated with human
disease, generally required for any human-derived
blood, bodily fluids, tissues in which infectious agent
may be unknown.
• Agents include measles virus, Salmonella species,
pathogenic Toxoplasma, Clostridium botulinum,
hepatitis B virus
• Biosafety cabinets or other approved containment
devices autoclave for glassware proper disposal of
needles and sharp objects.

7. Biosafety levels.
Safety cabinet
Autoclave
Needle disposal container

8. Biosafety levels.
• Biosafety level 3: Agents with
potential for respiratory (aerosol)
transmission and may cause
serious and potentially lethal
infection.
• Agents include Mycobacterium
tuberculosis, brucellae, and a
wide variety of viruses including
immunodeficiency viruses.
• Standard practice required along
with a strict controlled access to
the lab, special clothing and
decontaminating all waste.

9. Biosafety levels.
• Biosafety level 4: Dangerous and novel agents with
high risk of life-threatening disease, aerosol-transmitted
• Other related agents with unknown risk of
transmission are also studied.
• All agents are viruses, include Marburg virus, Ebola
virus, and Lassa fever.
• Maximum containment and decontamination
procedures are used in this level laboratories, which is
found in only a few reference and research
laboratories.

10. Biosafety levels.

11. Basic safety requirements in microbiology
laboratory
1. The laboratory must
be kept neat, orderly,
clean and the bench
tops should be free
of non-essential
material

12. Basic safety requirement in
microbiology laboratory
2. Protective laboratory clothing
(Uniforms coats, gowns) must be
available and worn properly and
fastened by all personnel including
students, visitors, trainees.
3. Suitable footwear with closed heels
and toes and with non slip soles
should be worn in the laboratory.
4. Long hair must be tied back or
restrained

13. Basic safety requirements in microbiology
laboratory
5. Do not bring food, beverages or tobacco products into
the laboratory. Do not apply cosmetics in the
laboratory. Do not eat or drink in the laboratory

14. Basic safety requirements in microbiology
6. Oral pipetting is
laboratory
prohibited. Use
appropriate pipetting
devices that bypass use of
the mouth.

15. Basic safety requirements in microbiology
laboratory
7. Clean your workbench with disinfectant at the
beginning and at the end of the laboratory
exercise. Report any spilled reagent or culture
however minor, to the instructor.
8. Wash your hands with soap and water before and
after the lab. Don’t use towels.

16. Basic safety requirements in microbiology
laboratory
9. Never remove cultures, reagents, or other
materials from the laboratory unless you
have been granted specific permission.
10.Inoculated media placed in the incubator must be
properly labeled with your name, date, and
nature of the specimen.
11.All reagents and equipment must be returned to
their proper place at the end of the lab.

17. Basic safety requirements in microbiology
laboratory
12.Pencils, labels, or any other
materials should never be placed
in your mouth.
13.Caution must be taken when using
gas burners. Be sure gas burners
are turned off when finished.

18. Basic safety requirements in microbiology
laboratory
• All used cultures and
contaminated glassware
should be put into a
designated container to
be autoclaved.
• Contaminated plastic
and other disposables are
to be discarded into a
separate container also
to be autoclaved.