*March LORRE Safety Issue* 3/2/2016 To All, The following safety information is very important! Please read carefully. A special thanks to *David Orrego Lopez* , *Sara Duque Martinez* and *Paul Theime* for alerting us about specific safety concerns in the lab. We hope everyone can take the same initiative to speak up and take responsibility for lab safety. We want to have a great safety program so that we can protect not only ourselves, but others. */_1. Biowaste Disposal Safety_/* a)Bacterial waste needs to be sterilized immediately. Please do not leave bacterial waste in the autoclave overnight, or longer. b)Do not over-fill the autoclave; separate material to be sterilized into two batches if necessary. If the autoclave is too full, the door can become stuck and sterilization is not effective. Please take caution with the autoclave, as it is easily broken. c)If you are the last one to use the autoclave, please turn it off. We found the autoclave was left on over the weekend (2/28/2016). d)If the autoclave is on, please shut the door to the autoclave room. This will minimize the bad smells in the hallway and help maintain a healthy environment. */_2. Gas Tank Safety_/* a)When setting up your gas cylinder for your experiment, ensure that the proper regulator is used. We found that the nitrogen tank was running at 1300 psi, with a regulator only rated for 400 psi. Do not overload the regulator! b)Secure the gas cylinder to the rack to hold it in place. c)Prevent sparks and flames from coming in contact with the cylinders. d)If you need to move a cylinder, use a suitable cart. f) Leave the valve protection cap close to the tank. Thanks, LORRE Safety Committee
