Nematodes

General rules and regulations

 
The following measures can be adopted in the laboratory to ensure personal safety, visitors' safety, and general cleanliness in laboratory areas/environments.

1. Upon entering the laboratory, place coats, books, and other paraphernalia in specified locations – never ever on benchtops.
2. Keep doors and windows closed during laboratory operations to prevent contamination from air.
3. At the beginning and end of laboratory procedures always wipe benchtops with disinfectant solutions provided by instructors.
4. Do not place contaminated instruments such as loops needles and pipettes on benchtops. Loops and needles should be sterilized by incineration. Pipettes should be disposed of in designated receptacles/jars.
5. Rapid and efficient manipulations required to prevent the dissemination of their reproductive spores in laboratory areas.
6. Wash your hands with liquid detergent, rinse with ethyl alcohol and dry them with a paper towel upon entering and before leaving the lab.
7. Wear paper caps to prevent exposure to contamination or flames.
8. Wear a laboratory coat or apron while working to protect clothes from contamination and accidental discoloration.
9. Wear closed shoes all times.
10. Always wear gloves especially of non-porous material while manipulations.
11. Never apply cosmetics or insert contact lenses.
12. Eating, drinking, and smoking is not allowed in the lab.
13. Pets and plantations are not allowed in the lab area.
14. Carry test tubes and flasks in specified racks for carrying cultures.
15. Never place cultures unattended in the laboratory.
16. Never remove media, Equipements, or especially cultures from the laboratory.
17. Immediately cover spilled cultures or broth cultures with paper towels and disinfect the area.
18. Immediately report cuts or burns to lab instructors.
19. Never pipette by mouth any broth cultures or chemical reagents. Always use a mechanical pipetting device.
20. Do not lick labels, use only self-stick labels for identification.
21. Always properly label the cultures and media.
22. Avoid unnecessary movements in the laboratory area.
23. Keep round bottom flasks in their specified racks.
24. Cultures no longer required must be sterilized/decontaminated properly.
25. Don’t throw contaminated papers or agars in sinks. 
26. Biological waste material should be disposed of in yellow boxes. Upon completion place all cultures and materials in the disposal area.

 If you are dealing with body fluids of unknown origin, follow these instructions:

1. Wear disposable gloves during manipulations.
2. Immediately wash hands if contact with fluids is made while manipulations.
3. Wear masks, safety goggles, and laboratory coats.
4. Decontaminate immediately if body fluid or sample is spilled with a 10 % solution of household bleach (reaction time should be at least 10 min).
5. Place test specimens and supplies in contact with these fluids into the disinfectant container prior to autoclaving.