LBL01001

The LBL BioLab Standard Operating Procedures

Author:	Approved by: S. Thompson	SOP No. LBL01001
Signed:	Signed:	Effective from:
Date:	Date:	Last edited:

1. Introduction

This documentation is required for everyone who is using, or who expects to use the LBL BioLab. It lays out in series the main procedures that have been validated in the laboratory, and the best-practice approach to carrying them out in order to promote the safety of the individual users and other people in the vicinity of the work, to generate reliable and repeatable results from the procedures carried out and to minimise damage to and maintain the condition of equipment and instrumentation used.

It is essential that all users of the lab first undergo the laboratory induction as described in LBL02001 and read any Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that relate to the work they intend to carry out.
This should be performed and checked by the Biological Safety Officer (BSO) and recorded. LBL03001 describes the role of the BSO and of the Safety Committee (SC) in establishing and validating SOPs, and in ensuring they are conformed to.
In section 4 a range of SOPs exist describe the usage of the equipment and instrumentation in the laboratory.
Section 5 explains Containment Level 1 (CL1) and the requirements for performing work in this setting.
Further, any new projects should have a risk assessment carried out before work commences. The process for doing this is described in LBL06001.
Section 7 contains a range of procedures for performing molecular biology work, many of which require CL1 conditions to be in place.
Section 8 describes laboratory maintenance and cleaning.