Standard Operating Procedures for Lab Use

It is the policy of the University of Florida Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine to prevent and minimize, to the fullest extent practical, all risks to the
health, safety, and well being of employees and the public while at the Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute. Implementing and maintaining a comprehensive and effective safety and health program will safeguard our employees, property and the environment. Our programs and activities will meet or exceed the requirements of health, safety and environmental regulations issues by Federal, State of Florida and local agencies.

1. Barrier protection should be used at all times to prevent skin and mucous membrane contamination with blood, body fluids containing visible blood, or
   other body fluids (cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, and amniotic fluids, semen and vaginal secretions).
   • a. Barrier protection should be used with ALL tissues.
     b. The type of barrier protection used should be appropriate for the type of procedures being performed and the type of exposure anticipated. Examples of barrier protection include disposable lab coats, gloves and eye and face protection.
2. Gloves are to be worn when there is potential for hand or skin contact with blood, other potentially infectious materials, or items and surfaces contaminated with
   these materials.
3. Wear face protection (face shield) during procedures that are likely to generate droplets of blood or body fluid to prevent exposure to mucous membranes of the
   mouth, nose and eyes.
4. Wear protective body clothing (disposable laboratory coats) when there is a potential for splashing of blood or body fluids.
5. Wash hands or other skin surfaces thoroughly and immediately if contaminated with blood, body fluids containing visible blood, or other body fluids to which
   universal precautions apply.
6. Wash hands immediately after gloves are removed.
7. Avoid accidental injuries that can be caused by needles, scalpel blades, laboratory instruments, etc. when performing procedures, cleaning instruments, handling sharp instruments and disposing of used needles, pipettes, etc.
   • a. Used needles, disposable syringes, scalpel blades, pipettes, and other sharp items are to be placed in puncture resistant containers marked with a biohazard symbol for disposal.

1. Frequent hand washing is an important safety precaution which should be practiced after direct contact with laboratory specimens.
2. Immediately after accidental skin contact with blood, body fluids or tissues, hands or other skin areas should be thoroughly washed with soap and water. If contact occurs through breaks in gloves, the gloves should be immediately removed and hands thoroughly washed. For needle sticks or wound exposure, wash the infected area first, then contact Infection Control to report the incident for follow-up. The departmental supervisor should be notified.
3. Hands should be washed before eating, drinking, smoking, applying makeup, changing contact lenses and before and after using bathroom facilities. Hands should be washed at the completion of work and before leaving the laboratory. Hands should be washed before all other activities which entail hand contact with mucous membranes, eyes and breaks in the skin.

1. Spill. Absorb the spilled material with gauze pads or paper towels and discard in red biohazard trash bags. Disinfect the spill site with bleach, freshly made daily, diluted 1:10 (1 part bleach to 9 parts water to give about 5000 mg/L of chlorine), wear gloves during the entire process.
2. Decontamination of counters should be done at the end of each procedure and for each spill.
3. Services and maintenance activities should be carried out under universal precautions. Outside service personnel should wear gloves and other appropriate barrier protection if potentially exposed to blood or body fluids. Instruments to be repaired by services personnel must be decontaminated with bleach diluted 1:10. Instruments or components returned to vendors should be decontaminated before leaving the laboratory.

Access to the laboratory is limited to assigned personnel and individuals with a specific need to be in the area. These restrictions are enhanced by locked doors and elevator access to the laboratory, with multiple camera monitoring systems in place. In recognition that some movement of personnel through and near potentially hazardous areas will occur, certain areas may be designated as restricted. Door and wall signs and other markers are used to indicate the degree of restriction.

Protective clothing will be provided whenever it is necessary by reason of hazards, processes or environmental conditions. The Institute requires that protective clothing be used when chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants are encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment through absorption,
inhalation, or physical contact.

1. Personal protective clothing is to include approved lab aprons or coats, surgical scrubs, caps, masks, gloves and safety shoes. As a minimum, laboratory gloves should always be worn during laboratory work.
2. In the case of radiological procedures lead aprons and thyroid shields also must be worn during the course of the procedures.
3. During lab procedures, both employees and visitors as dictated by Institute policy must wear protective clothing. Protective clothing will be available only in compromise sizes (e.g. small, medium and large).
4. The use of protective eye and face equipment is required where machines or operations present hazards of glare, flying objects, chemicals or any combination
   thereof.
5. Sandals and open-toed shoes are prohibited in the laboratory area.
6. Personal protective clothing may not be worn outside of the laboratory area.
7. Upon leaving the laboratory, all disposable protective clothing must be removed and placed in proper receptacles.

1. All visitors entering the laboratory must comply with applicable health and safety policies and procedures.
2. An Institute employee must escort all visitors entering the laboratory.
3. Visitors must be provided appropriate safety instruction and protective equipment by the accompanying Institute employee.
4. Restricted areas may be visited only be permission of the supervisor in charge of the restricted area.
5. Large tour groups must be escorted by an appropriate number of Institute escorts and must be given permission by the Laboratory Manager prior to the visit. The
   Director of Research should be notified in advance of such visits.

Every employee must know the location of fire extinguishers and fire blankets and be familiar with the fire alarm system. The first person to observe a fire should:

1. Immediately sound the fire alarm by activating the nearest fire alarm pull station.
2. If possible, use available fire extinguishers to extinguish or contain the fire.
3. Immediately evacuate areas should initial fire fighting attempts fail. Shut off gas supplies, etc. Close door to area to contain fire.
4. Follow instructions given over public address system.

1. Good housekeeping is essential for laboratory safety. Shelves, bench tops and floors must be free of unnecessary apparatus and materials.
2. Doorways and aisles must not be blocked.
3. Scientific apparatus must be away from the edge of laboratory counters and tables, leaving adequate room to work and reducing the possibility of an accident.
4. Heavy items should be placed near the floor to aid in handling.
5. Broken glassware must be placed in specially marked containers.
6. Appropriate carrying trays, carts, or bottle carriers shall be used for transportation of chemicals.
7. Food for human consumption will not be kept in laboratory refrigerators.
8. Smoking, eating, drinking, chewing tobacco and/or gum, and the application of cosmetics will not be allowed in the laboratory area.
9. Sharp instruments such as syringe needles, scalpel blades, etc. must be disposed of using disposal boxes designed for this purpose. These items must not be
   placed in ordinary trash receptacles.

Anatomical material is not accepted from persons dying from highly communicable diseases (such as hepatitis or AIDS). The following are conditions under
which biological materials must be used:

1. Secure area with limited access only by approved personnel.
2. Anatomical material used within the Institute must be procured through a reliable and authorized distributor and obtained in accordance with biological materials
   transfer regulations.
3. When not being used, tissue must be placed in a red bag, labeled and kept in refrigerated storage at 35 to 45 degrees F or frozen at -20 degrees F.
4. Institute will utilize the services of an entity authorized under applicable law to dispose of biological materials.

The Institute will safely control the disposition of all hazardous wastes generated at the Institute in accordance with OSHA, EPA and other regulations. The following are
general guidelines for the preparation and disposition of radioactive, chemical and biological waste. Specific information and procedures for waste disposal are given in the
EHS biological Safety Manual.

1. Chemical Wastes
   1. No chemical wastes are to be flushed down the drain except with specific approval by Environmental Health and Safety Division.
   2. All chemical wastes must be clearly identified. If a used solvent/acid bottle is used for collection of solvents, a new label indicating the contents must be affixed to the container and the old label must be removed or crossed out.
   3. Whenever possible, solid wastes should be separated into either the burnable or non-burnable category. This will allow for the incineration of items such as disposable laboratory garments, paper mats, plastic containers, gloves, etc. and reduce the amount of material that must be disposed of off-site.
   4. Pipettes, broken glass or other objects capable of puncturing plastic bags must be packaged by placing a plastic bag in a broken glassware box, hazardous material box or other cardboard container (available from the warehouse). Once the container is ready for disposal, the top must be taped shut. On the top of the box, mark as either burnable items or glassware.
   5. Plastic bags that have been punctured will not be picked up.
   6. The waste pick-up form must be completed and signed by the laboratory manager.
2. Biological Wastes
   1. Except as otherwise provided, all laboratory specimens or materials consisting of, containing or contaminated with blood, plasma, serum, urine, feces, or other human or animal tissues or fluids, as well as inoculated media, cultures and other potentially infectious materials must be either incinerated or sterilized by autoclaving or by use of a chemical sterilant (in cases where autoclaving or incineration is not possible) approved by the Environmental Health and Safety before disposal.
   2. Hypodermic syringes and needles shall be disposed of in such a manner as to prevent accidental injection of those individuals charged with disposal of waste materials. Hypodermic syringes and needles shall be placed in approved sharps containers after use.

The use of animals for research or education purposes at the Institute is strictly prohibited.