Volume 1 / Issue 11
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE The Dartmouth College laboratory safety newsletter
Contact EHS for specific ques ons, 646-1762 or e-mail [email protected]
Autoclave Procedure (For Biohazard Waste Only)
1. Add 250 milliliters of water to orange Biohazard Bag before closing. Use proportionately less water for smaller bags. THIS STEP IS IMPERATIVE TO ENSURE PROPER STERILIZATION
2. Loosely tie bag leaving slightly open. Indicator tape may be used.
3. Place in pan suitable for transporting and autoclaving. v Metal is recommended
4. Process for 60 minutes using a metal pan or 75 minutes if using an autoclavable Nalgene® pan at 121°C (15 psi), fast exhaust ² Not every Nalgene container is autoclave safe!!
5. Cool, then discard autoclaved bag as general waste in the heavy clear plastic bags in the bins provided in the autoclave area.
Ø Housekeeping will remove the autoclaved bags ONLY if they have been properly autoclaved and placed into the clear bags. Ø They will not remove any bags left on the floor or in the autoclave.
EHS Staff Things to Remember… Maureen Michael Always wear gloves, goggles or faceshield and a Katrina Brenda labcoat or apron. Corey Sandy Autoclave bags must always be orange Nicki emblazoned with the word “biohazard” ! Molly and the international biohazard emblem. ! Jason ⎆ NEVER USE RED BIOHAZARD BAGS IN THE AUTOCLAVE!
EHS provides 5 gallon plastic pails with covers designed for the collection of biohazardous lab debris for autoclaving. ! ⎆ Biohazard bags are available in the stockroom!
Do not mix loads that require different exposure time and exhaust
Use the metal trays provided by EHS as a secondary container for autoclaving and transport. ⎆ Avoid the use of Nalgene® since it is a poor conductor of heat and certain polymers are not auto-clave safe.
Do not rely on autoclave tape as an adequate indicator of decontamination. ⎆ Autoclave tape will discolor the moment the autoclave reaches temperature—it does not indicate adequate process time or decontamination.
Contact EHS for questions about autoclave validation testing
Visit the Biological Safety Policies page for more info…. ⎆ http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ehs/biological/policies_sops.html