OBJECTIVE:
- To lay down a procedure for Good Laboratory practices to be followed in Microbiology Laboratory.
SCOPE:
- This SOP covers personnel, premises and practices and is applicable to microbiology laboratory.
RESPONSIBILITY:
- Microbiologist for adhering to the practices.
- Head – Microbiology group to ensure adherence to procedures
PROCEDURE :
Personnel:
- Supervise that the staff with open wounds or any infection is not permitted to work in clean zones.
- Wear clean laboratory uniform before entering the laboratory.
- Keep hair covered (facial and scalp) with a cap/mask while working in the laboratory.
- Follow procedure mentioned in relevant SOP for entering the microbiology laboratory.
- Ensure that the garments to be worn have no unnecessary tucks and edges of the garments are sealed and seams are all enveloping.
- Ensure that the number of persons working in clean zones are kept to the minimum as practical.
- Conduct inspection and control procedures, as far as possible, from out side the testing areas or clean zones to avoid particle shedding and microbial contamination.
- Personnel should not lean into the laminar airflow bench or place his/her hands on the bench.
- Avoid unnecessary movements in microbiology testing areas.
- Ensure that staff engaged in maintenance work and cleaning follows the same precautions and hygiene standards as followed by laboratory personnel.
Premises :
-
- Maintain the laboratory and it’s premises clean.
- Clean the microbiology lab and microbial testing areas with disinfectant as per procedure and frequency mentioned in relevant SOP.
- Ensure that the walls and floor of clean areas are devoid of cracks and crevices.
- Daily monitor the microbiology laboratory for temperature, environmental control programmes and routine checks like pressure differentials, manometer readings of LAF and incubator temperatures as mentioned in relevant SOP.
- Maintain equipments and instruments clean and under calibrated / validated status.
- Perform calibration / validation of instruments / equipments as per frequency mentioned in relevant SOPs.
- Perform the microbial analyses under LAF.
- Disinfect the working surface of LAF after analysis.
- No articles/glassware should be placed on top of the laminar airflow bench.
Practices:
- Do not work in LAF with U.V Lamp in ‘ON’ condition.
- Handle sterile disposable plastic Petri plates with care. Open sterile Petri plates only in the laminar airflow bench.
- Label all the media bottles upon receipt .
- After opening a new media container check for any lump formation or deterioration to avoid the usage of the same and if satisfactory update the label and indicate the validity period as mentioned in the relevant SOP.
- Perform Growth Promotion Test on each lot of prepared media.
- While handling of microbial cultures observe proper safety precautions.
- Do not handle live cultures with bare hands.
- Follow the procedure given in relevant SOP in case of spillage of microbial cultures and media.
- For procurement, identification, revival, preparation and maintenance of reference cultures follow the relevant SOP.
- Perform the analyses on request by other departments or as per schedules like schedule for water analysis and environmental monitoring..
- Collect Samples for microbial analysis in sterilized containers, either by dry heat sterilisation or autoclaving. Alternatively use sterile poly bags for sampling.
- Store all samples at designated storage area and designated storage temperatures in the laboratory until their disposal.
- Label all the media plates and flasks with details such as media name (abbreviation).
- Take care during transfer of media plates /flasks to or from the incubators after analysis.
- Avoid exposure of the media to the environment after analysis.
- If sample incubation period extends due to holidays mention the same in work sheet with date and sign.
- Report all incidents and failures if any, to the supervisor as soon as possible and follow instructions given in the relevant SOP.
- All the used media, cultures and glassware must be sterilised in autoclave before disposal. Dispose the waste immediately after analysis. Don’t allow the waste to accumulate in the laboratory.
- After autoclaving, send the disposable items to incinerator or scrap yard.
- At the end of the day, closedown the microbiology laboratory ensuring that all the instruments/equipments are put off to the extent possible.
- Ensure that the lines of water are closed.
ABBREVATIONS:
- MB -Microbiology
- SOP -Standard operating procedure
REFERENCE:
Nil
ANNEXURES:
Nil