a hazardous procedure, the most important thing is to pay atten- tion to what you are doing and, if transporting the material, where you are going. Wear the protective clothing as outlined in the previous section. Do not stop to answer the phone or chat. No clowning around; this is not a time for levity. Even an act as simple as sterilizing an inoculating loop can be hazardous if you get The physical hazards include burns and cuts from sharps. Burns can result from a Bunsen burner or gas jet, an inoculating loop, a hot plate, or the autoclave. When handling items going in or coming out of the autoclave, heavy-duty cloth gloves designed for handling hot containers are essential Materials heated on a hot plate or in a boiling water bath should also be handled with heav duty protective gloves. Burns can also result from ignition of flammables like ethanol or acetone. Always keep containers with these liquids safely away from a heat source. Malfunctioning machinery can also be a source of a burn or a fire. a pump motor that has seized can cause a fire. If you smell smoke or other toxic gases emanating from a piece of equipment try to turn it off or unplug it immediately, and call the fire department if necessary. If this action seems unsafe, call the fire department immediatelⅤ Needles, broken glass, scalpels, and razor blades are all poten tial hazards. Pay attention when handling them and dispose of hem properly. Most all labs require disposal using a certified arps"container, and removal by housekeeping staff or health safety workers. Never throw a sharp into the everyday trash This is a potential hazard and possible source of infection for the housekeepers. Nearly all microbiology labs utilize corrosive acids, alkalis, and organic compounds that are toxic. The potential for toxicity can manifest itself through amounts as small as the fumes released by opening the container. Even a whiff of a concentrated acid or other corrosive liquid can cause tissue damage to the naso- pharynx. A spill of even a few hundred milliliters of an organic chemical, like phenol the body can be life-threate Phenol vapors, in excessive amounts, can cause damage to the nasopharyngeal mucosa and to the mucous membranes of the eye. Brief exposure to phenol vapors can cause minor irritation of these mucosa as well. If one uses phenol frequently, it is sensible to perform the manipulations in a chemical fume hood if possible. Sources of microbial contamination to you and others are aerosols formed by the handling of the inoculating loop, prepara Haidaris and Brownlowa hazardous procedure, the most important thing is to pay atten￾tion to what you are doing and, if transporting the material, where you are going. Wear the protective clothing as outlined in the previous section. Do not stop to answer the phone or chat. No clowning around; this is not a time for levity. Even an act as simple as sterilizing an inoculating loop can be hazardous if you get distracted. The physical hazards include burns and cuts from sharps. Burns can result from a Bunsen burner or gas jet, an inoculating loop, a hot plate, or the autoclave. When handling items going in or coming out of the autoclave, heavy-duty cloth gloves designed for handling hot containers are essential. Materials heated on a hot plate or in a boiling water bath should also be handled with heavy duty protective gloves. Burns can also result from ignition of flammables like ethanol or acetone. Always keep containers with these liquids safely away from a heat source. Malfunctioning machinery can also be a source of a burn or a fire. A pump motor that has seized can cause a fire. If you smell smoke or other toxic gases emanating from a piece of equipment try to turn it off or unplug it immediately, and call the fire department if necessary. If this action seems unsafe, call the fire department immediately. Needles, broken glass, scalpels, and razor blades are all poten￾tial hazards. Pay attention when handling them and dispose of them properly. Most all labs require disposal using a certified “sharps” container, and removal by housekeeping staff or health safety workers. Never throw a sharp into the everyday trash. This is a potential hazard and possible source of infection for the housekeepers. Nearly all microbiology labs utilize corrosive acids, alkalis, and organic compounds that are toxic. The potential for toxicity can manifest itself through amounts as small as the fumes released by opening the container. Even a whiff of a concentrated acid or other corrosive liquid can cause tissue damage to the naso￾pharynx. A spill of even a few hundred milliliters of an organic chemical, like phenol, on the body can be life-threatening. Phenol vapors, in excessive amounts, can cause damage to the nasopharyngeal mucosa and to the mucous membranes of the eye. Brief exposure to phenol vapors can cause minor irritation of these mucosa as well. If one uses phenol frequently, it is sensible to perform the manipulations in a chemical fume hood if possible. Sources of microbial contamination to you and others are aerosols formed by the handling of the inoculating loop, prepara- 120 Haidaris and Brownlow