28 Biosafety Manual • When working in a biosafety cabinet, all waste and/or disinfecting containers must be kept inside the cabinet while they are being used. • Use proper PPE. Centrifugation Improper use of a centrifuge can cause the release of aerosols. • Leaks can be prevented by not overfilling centrifuge tubes. The outsides of the tubes should be wiped with disinfectant after they are filled and sealed. • Sealed tubes, O-ring sealed rotors, or O-ring sealed safety buckets must be used. To avoid spills from broken tubes, the tubes, lids, O-rings, buckets, and rotors should be inspected for damage before each use. • Ensure that rotors are balanced before centrifugation. • Rotors and centrifuge tubes must be opened inside a biosafety cabinet. If a biosafety cabinet is not available, a minimum of 10 minutes settling time must be allowed before opening. • Use proper PPE. • Centrifuges and accessories must be cleaned and disinfected regularly or when contaminated. Using Needles, Syringes, and Other Sharps The greatest risks when using sharps are accidental injections, lacerations, and the creation of aerosols. • Needles and syringes may only be used when there is no reasonable alternative. Safety needles and syringes must be used in these instances. • Substitute plasticware for glassware when possible. • Sharps must be kept away from fingers as much as possible. Sharps must never be bent, sheared, or recapped. Needles should never be removed from syringes after use. If a contaminated needle must be recapped or removed from its syringe, a mechanical device, such as a forceps, must be used. • Air bubbles should be minimized when filling syringes. • A pad moistened with disinfectant must be placed over the tip of a needle when expelling air. Work must be performed in a biosafety cabinet whenever possible. • An appropriate sharps container must be kept close to the
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