General Safety Precautions and Guidelines

Personal Protective Equipment

1. No contact lenses in the Histotechnology Lab
2.  Eye protection (safety goggles) should be worn when:

• • making solutions
  • distributing solutions from one container to another
  • changing solutions on equipment
  • grossing specimens
  • staining

3.  Open cuts must be covered with a band-aid
4. Skin contact is a potential source of exposure to toxic materials and biohazards. Gloves should be worn when handling all chemicals (this includes dyes). To avoid permeation, change gloves often.  Nitrile gloves are suggested when working with solvents and acids. It is not essential that gloves be worn when working with paraffin processed tissue samples unless the sample is a known biohazard. Wear gloves when handling tissue in fixative, preparing solutions, handling chemicals (acids, bases, solvents, fixatives and stains), cleaning or cutting on the cryostat.
5. Always use a ground when pouring flammables from a metal container to avoid production of sparks.
6. Fume hoods prevent hazardous vapors from entering the general laboratory area. Work 6 inches from the hood opening. Always use the hood when:

• • making heated solutions or when instructed by instructor or method
  • grossing specimens, especially formalin fixed specimens
  • using formula 83 during hydrating, dehydrating/clearing, and mounting of slides

7. Sleeves are disposable garments worn to protect the arms from contact with biohazards and chemicals. They also offer some moisture protection. Sleeves should be worn when working with carcinogens and grossing specimens. Gloves should be pulled up over the cuff of the sleeves, if possible.
8. Plastic aprons are provided for protection from splashes. In case of a fire, aprons could prove to be a hazard. Plastic aprons can cause static electricity and caution should be used when working around flammable material. They are not acid proof, but they will provide a temporary barrier. Aprons should be worn when:

• • working with or around formalin (specimen grossing)
  • working around fresh (unfixed) tissue or body fluids

Equipment

1. Use blade remover to remove scalpel blades, and dispose of used scalpels in approved sharps containers ONLY.
2. Always lock the microtome when wheel is stopped and put up the blade guard.
3. When moving away from the microtome during the day always put the knife guard up.
4. Always remove microtome blade when leaving instrument for the day and discard in appropriate container ONLY. Use magnetic blade remover.
5. Make sure equipment is clean after use, ensuring all paraffin is cleaned from the microtomes, embedding stations , countertops and floors.
6. Use acid cleaned glassware when appropriate.
7. Damaged glassware should be discarded and not used

Chemicals

1. Keep lids on all staining containers. This cuts down on fumes in lab. Make sure all coplin jars are labeled as to contents (even distilled water).
2. Do not pour dangerous chemicals into the sink. Always check SDS sheets for potential hazards. Formula 83 and alcohols are to be recycled (with the exception of alcohols which contain traces of Formula 83, these are to be discarded). Note: the recycler uses fractional distillation (boiling and condensation cycles) for 80-95% recovery. Alcohol must be checked with a hydrometer. Other chemicals, including Formalin, may have “used” containers for storage until a chemical waste company removes them.
3. Treat all chemicals (this includes dyes in liquid or powder state) as hazardous.
4. When making stains and reagents, the method will state either that it must be made fresh or a suggested storage date will be given. Labels for each reagent should include:
   • name and concentration of reagent (ie 3% acetic acid)
   • preparation date
   • any applicable hazards as per SDS
   • the technologist who prepared it
   • an expiration date.

General Working Guidelines

1. Label all solutions during preparation.
2. Since there are limited working stations in the lab, it is imperative that working spaces be kept as tidy as possible. It is also imperative your station is well organized so clerical errors do not happen.
3. If you notice supplies getting low, replace them, write them on the supply list or notify instructor they need to be ordered.
4. Read each procedure thoroughly and take note of any special precautions or safety rules. It would help to make a flow chart before each lab so you know exactly what time must be spent on everything.
5. Immediately clean up all spills appropriately
6. Pour away from labels so the labels remain “readable”
7. Clean block cooling packs and store back in -20 degree freezer.
8. Remember to work with and for the protection of all your teammates in all of the above
9. If in doubt, always ask before proceeding!!