NSCI 301 Laboratory management and safety

Instructions

As part of the annual review conducted by the safety and compliance department at your company, several situations were identified as potentially non-compliant.

Here are some lab policy breaches that have occurred in a research lab:

• taking the backup supply of a critical reagent without reporting to supply personnel
• taking a careless approach to using radioactivity (or hazardous materials, including infectious materials)
• improperly disposing of hazardous materials (e.g., dumping ethidium bromide solutions in sink)
• wearing personal protective gloves, scrubs, or lab coat in the eating areas or bathrooms
• using common equipment without adhering to sign-up procedures and not cleaning equipment or area when complete

These are just a few examples of behaviors that can result in lab conflicts. As an example of a possible resolution, when backup supplies of reagents are disappearing, it may become necessary to institute a system in which lab members do not have access to backup supplies, but have to tell a lab manager when they are running low on a reagent so that the lab manager can dispense from the backup and reorder.

This assignment has two deliverables: Safety and Compliance Paper and Discussion Planner

Safety and Compliance Paper

You will prepare a Short Paper (A) and complete the Discussion Planner (B) document in response to a breach of lab policy regarding safety. Example breaches are provided, or you may select your scenario based on readings or from experience.

Post in your completed Paper and Discussion Planner in the corresponding assignment folder by the due date.

Part A: In a 2-3-page double-spaced paper:

• Select one of the situations listed above for lab policy breeches.
• Identify the relevant areas of safety and the appropriate regulatory agencies that would apply to the working environment.
• Identify the ways in which this lab does not comply with sound laboratory practices and safety regulations, and what steps would be necessary to bring the lab into compliance.
• Describe your strategy to communicate with all laboratory personnel about any instances of noncompliance and the multi-pronged approach you will take to minimize the recurrence of such noncompliance

Part B: Discussion Planner about Non-compliant Behavior

Now that you have examined the safety regulations, you have working knowledge of the importance of compliance in the workplace. Use the background information from Part (A) to help you to complete the Discussion Planner form (see attachment) for the non-compliant behavior that was demonstrated by laboratory personnel.

Submit the completed Discussion Planner in your assignment folder by the due date.

Your grade will be based upon:

Throughout the assignment proper use of grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence and paragraph construction (10%),

Part A Written Paper (40% of grade on assignment)

• Identification and explanation of chosen (10%);
• Explanation of lab compliance in the safety violation situation (10%);
• Identification and explanation of agencies or regulatory organizations concerned for the lab (10%);
• Clear description of an effective and appropriate communication strategy (10%)

Part B Discussion Planner (50% of grade on assignment)

• Completed Discussion Planner form (5%);
• Describe the purpose and importance in the discussion planner Approach (10%),
• Provide clarification on the issues and concerns (10%),
• Develop ideas for discussion and identify resources needed (10%),
• Develop specific measurable actions and contingency plans (10%), and
• Summarized the decisions outlined in the Discussion Planner (5%)