How Can I Be a Biosafety Ambassador?
- Check out the EHS Biosafety webpage!
- Evaluate your laboratory
- Is the correct PPE being worn?
- Have I taken all the required Biosafety trainings, or do I need a refresher?
- Is the Biosafety Cabinet certified?
- Have I read my lab's Biosafety Manual lately?
- Is appropriate disinfectant available and being used correctly?
- Is the laboratory Door Sign correct?
- Are food or drinks being consumed in your lab?
No eating or drinking in the lab!
Current Biosafety Initiatives
- Is your waste being handled correctly?
- Is your Contaminated Materials Container (CMC) being secured with packing tape before set out for housekeeping to pick up?
How much does my waste cost?
The University of Virginia is charged ~$26 to dispose each CMC!
Always Close a CMC Securely!
Items that do NOT belong in the CMC:
- Loose sharp items that can puncture skin (i.e. needles, scalpels, glass ampules, glass Pasteur pipettes, etc.)
- Large amounts of loose liquid materials
- Anything that is not contaminated with biological materials!
- For example: Empty reagent bottles, pipette tip boxes, empty glove boxes
Uncontaminated broken glass
- For example: Empty reagent bottles, pipette tip boxes, empty glove boxes
- Order Waste Laboratory Glassware labels from here.
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Remember!
- Only take as many CMCs that your lab needs at the time. Taking more than the lab needs, prevents other labs in the building from accessing this resource.
- Only biological materials or items contaminated with biological materials are to be disposed of in a CMC!
- Never put sharps into the CMC! Housekeepers or anyone moving these boxes can get stuck!!
- Sharps MUST be put into a container like the one below!
