Safety

Why does iGEM ask teams to address safety questions and screen projects?

iGEM safety questions and screening procedures are designed:

• To protect team members as they work in their labs, iGEM institutions, the general public and the environment
• To encourage team members to consider safety, health, security, and environmental implications of their projects, both within and beyond the scope of iGEM competition.

iGEM Safety Questions

1. Would any of your project ideas raise safety issues in terms of:

Montgomery High School's iGEM team works in a high school laboratory with Containment Level 1. We use non-pathogenic strains of E.coli. We will not be working with any hazardous chemicals. Nevertheless, we ensure that all laboratory students tie up any long hear and wear gloves, safety goggles, pants, closed-toed shoes. All students underwent a lab safety demonstration early January and practiced streaking bacteria, pipetting, etc. In regard to our lab environment, the classroom has multiple showers, a fire extinguisher, an eye-wash station, multiple sinks, and a first aid kit.

2. Do any of the new BioBrick parts (or devices) that you made this year raise safety issues?

No.

3. Is there a local biosafety group, committee, or review board at your institution?

There is no biosafety group at our high school. Our iGEM team is responsible for safety. We follow the World Health Organization Laboratory safety regulations.

4. Do you have any other ideas how to deal with safety issues that could be useful for future iGEM competitions? How could parts, devices and systems be made even safer through biosafety engineering?