User Ratings

Easy to Follow Achieved Expected Results Overall Rating Add your comments

Risk Assessment in the Research Laboratory

LouAnn C. Burnett¹

¹Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

Publication Name:

Current Protocols Essential Laboratory Techniques

Unit Number:

Appendix 1B

DOI:

10.1002/9780470089941.eta01bs01

Online Posting Date:

June, 2009

GO TO THE FULL TEXT:

PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Are you the author of this protocol? Login or register and return to this page.

Abstract

Risk assessment is a term that is applied to a process that we all use every day to make decisions. Conducting risk assessments while working in the laboratory should be integrated into the research culture. Reagents and equipment used in research laboratories can be hazardous if used improperly or without appropriate precautions. The first step in limiting risk is identifying the materials that can be hazardous. The second step is to assess the risk that they present during the experiments that will take place—a process called risk assessment. Once the hazards are identified and the risks assessed, a risk management strategy can be put in place to reduce the risks to an acceptable level. This process (hazard identification, risk assessment, risk management) must be repeated as often as new materials, new procedures, and new people are introduced into the laboratory. Curr. Protoc. Essential Lab. Tech. 1:A.1B.1-A.1B.11. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Keywords: risk assessment; hazards; risk; laboratory safety

GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:

PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Introduction
Procedure
Using Risk Assessments to Manage Risk
Resources
Bibliography
Figures
Tables

GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:

PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Figures

Figure A.1B.1

Example consequence determination for three biological agents. (A) Blank copy of worksheet used for this determination. A chart of this type can be used as a starting point to collect information to determine the relative consequences of materials used in research. (B-D) Comparing the three determinations shows the relative consequence among the three agents: (B) E. coli K12 strain; (C) human immunodeficiency virus; (D) Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Note that this is a strictly qualitative determination; no numbers or averages are assigned. The ranking of these determinations is shown in Table A.1B.2.

View Image
Figure A.1B.2

Example probability of exposure determination for common laboratory procedures. Assume that all procedures are conducted by trained, experienced researchers. (A) Blank copy of worksheet used for this determination. A chart of this type can be used as a starting point to collect information to determine the relative probability for procedures used in research. (B-D) Comparing the three determinations shows the relative probability among three procedures: (B) 5 µl of phenol diluted with 1 ml of diluent in a plastic tube and gently mixed. All steps are conducted at the same bench. (C) 5 ml of liquid Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture placed in plastic tube and then moved to sonicator located on another work surface in the same room. (D) 5 liters of Escherichia coli K-12 strain placed in glass flask on shaker table in separate cold room. Multiple steps are used to create the solution to be shaken. Note that this is a strictly quantitative determination; no numbers or averages are (or should be) assigned.

View Image
Figure A.1B.3

Graphical representation of risk as a function of consequence and probability for three potential laboratory scenarios. Highest risk is indicated for risks graphed in the upper right-hand quadrant of the chart, while the lowest risk is indicated for those risks graphed in the lower left-hand quadrant of the chart. Triangle (Scenario A): 5 µl of phenol diluted with 1 ml of diluent in a plastic tube and gently mixed. All steps are conducted at the same bench. Circle (Scenario B): 5 ml of liquid Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture placed in plastic tube and then moved to sonicator located on another work surface in the same room. Star (Scenario C): 5 liters of Escherichia coli K-12 strain placed in glass flask on shaker table in separate cold room. Multiple steps are used to create the solution to be shaken.

View Image
Figure A.1B.4

A representation of the reduction of risk of three potential laboratory scenarios (described in the legend to Fig. A.1B.3) by application of example risk-management strategies.

View Image

Literature Cited

Key References
	Committee on Prudent Practices for Handling, Storage, and Disposal of Chemicals in Laboratories. 1995. Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Disposal of Chemicals. National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.
This National Research Council document represents a consensus of best practices for handling and disposal of chemicals in laboratories.
	Fleming, D.O. 2006. "Risk assessment of biological hazards" In Biological Safety: Principles and Practices, 4th edition (D.O. Fleming and D.L. Hunt, eds) pp. 57-64. ASM Press, Washington, D.C.
This book is meant to be used as a resource by those who work with biological materials in research, production, or teaching.
	Jank, B., Haymerle, H., and Doblhoff-Dier, O. 1996. Zurich hazard analysis in biotechnology. Nat. Biotechnol. 14:894-896.
	Wagener, S. Bennett, A., Ellis, M., Heisz, Holmes, K., Kanabrocki, J. Kozlovac, J., Olinger, P. Previsani, N., Salerno, R., and Taylor, T. 2008. Biological Risk Assessment in the Laboratory: Report of the 2nd Biorisk Management Workshop. Applied Biosafety 13:169.
Internet Resources
	http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/biosfty/bmbl5/bmbl5toc.htm
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2007. Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, 5th edition.