Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

The microbiology laboratory is one such environment full of microbial flora. In the bioresearch laboratory, the microbes are separated from its native environment and cultured in an artificially controlled environment. The culture conditions in the bioresearch laboratory are designed to achieve the objective of the experiment. In a practical session, those who are present in the bioresearch laboratory will be in direct contact with the microbes. Those who are having low immunity, allergic will have more chances to get diseased while working with pathogenic microorganisms. 

The common hazards in the microbiological laboratory are

1. Chemical Hazards
2. Pathogenic Microorganisms
3. Electrical Hazards
4. Mechanical Hazards
5. Glassware
6. Sharp Tools
7. Fire Hazards
8. Hazardous Radiation

Safety in Bioresearch laboratory can be assessed by

1. Personal safety - The working person is solely responsible for his safety. Being a good researcher the person should be attentive in the following

1. Dressing
2. Lab coat
3. Shoes
4. Hand gloves
5. Nail
6. Eyewear
7. Face mask
8. Handling of hazardous chemicals
9. Handling of pathogenic microorganisms
10. Other own materials which are required for the practical experiment.

2. Laboratory safety - The main purpose of laboratory safety is to maintain the aseptic environment. Due to more number of working personals, it is very difficult to maintain a pure culture in the general microbiology lab. 

Laboratory Safety can be achieved by following good laboratory practices (GLP)

1. Surface and Floor cleaning by antiseptic and detergent solutions.
2. Materials and glasswares cleaning by sterilization method and surface sterilization.
3. Biological Safety Cabinets.
4. Disposal and Decontamination of Microbial culture and hazardous chemicals.

3. Experimental Safety - 


4. Labeling - Labeling the materials makes its identification easier. Labeling of media, chemicals, reagents, glassware, cultures  

A label should contain 

1. Name of the Person
2. Name of the Material
3. Date
4. Nature of the material - Hazardous, Biological, Volatile, Acid, Toxic compound, Carcinogen, Explosive, etc.
5. Preservation and storage - Cultures, chemicals, and reagents
6. Safety handling methods

5. Record and observation - This is the documented proof of the experiment carried in the laboratory.

Observation: It is the rough draft of the experiment carried. It should be prepared based on personal work experience during the working period itself.

An observation of an experiment should contain

1. Title of the experiment
2. Date of the experiment
3. Aim or objective
4. Materials & Reagents
5. Principle
6. Rough graphical representation, tables, flowcharts and graphs
7. Procedure
8. Result

Record: It is the fair draft of the experiment carried. It should be elaborated on from the observation and reference work. A record should have the following along with the observation notes.

1. Introduction
2. History of the experiment
3. Interpretation of the experiment
4. Discussions on the experimental procedures and results obtained
5. Key questions