SPARQ-ed Risk Assessment Sheet : DNA / RNA Gel Electrophoresis
Description of Risk
Burns from Heating Agarose in a
Microwave Oven : Agarose is heated
to boiling point in glassware using a
microwave oven. There is a risk of
sustaining burns from the hot flask
and liquid (superheated and overflow)
on being touched.
Hazard
Source
Current Controls
Thermal
PPE worn (gloves, labcoat,
closed footwear) and safety
glasses available. Prepare a
small amount of gel in a
large volume conical flask.
Be careful not to overheat
(watch while heating it up)
and take care handling
melted agarose - leave in
microwave for 30secs to
ensure it is safe to move.
Wear heat resistant gloves.
Exposure to UV Radiation : Agarose
gels are examined with a UV light
source in order to detect the presence
of DNA and RNA. Nucleic acids bind
SYBR Green in the gel and fluoresce
under UV light. An image of the gel
can be captured with a digital camera.
Generally, this is done in an enclosed
gel documentation system with no
exposure of the operator to the UV
light. Sometimes, it is necessary to use
an older transilluminator to examine
the gel and cut fragments from it for
DNA purification while the light source
is on.
General Public Exposure to Hazardous
Chemicals – Trip to GelDoc : It is not
unusual for personnel to transport gel
to the GelDoc machine - sometimes
located on a different floor.
Radiation
Analyse / Evaluate Risk
Event
Category
Superheated liquid
might bubble up and out
of conical flask causing
skin burns with contact.
Contact or
Microwave explosion
Substantial : Major
causing body injury and exposure to heat
burns to hand
burns from hot liquid.
and cold
Dropping and breakage
of flask containing hot
liquid with spillage onto
unprotected skin.
The gel documentation system
has a safety mechanism by which
the UV light is automatically
switched off as soon as the door
of the cabinet is opened but
users are instructed to switch off
the light themselves before
opening the door so they will be
protected in the unlikely event of
Burns
the safety mechanism failing.
eyes
Exposure
Probability
Overall Risk Category
(see explanation on last page)
Exposure
Prob
Frequent :
Agarose gels are
usually made at
least several
times a week
Remotely Possible :
Possible if control
measures and care
are not taken
VR
R
U
O
F
C
AC
Low
Mod
Subs
Subs
High
VH
QP
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
High
UP
Low
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
RP
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Mod
C
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
PI
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Exposure
Prob
to skin and
Exposure to
radiation
When using the transilluminator
it is necessary to wear a UVresistant full face shield, nitrile
gloves and lab coat with sleeves
rolled down to protect the arms.
Exposure time to the UV
radiation should be minimised as
much as possible.
Chemical
Consequences
Place gel in dedicated
transport box & affix lid
securely. Remove lab coat
before leaving lab but carry
with you to the gel doc
room. Remove old gloves
and wash hands thoroughly.
Put a clean glove on one
hand and use this hand only
Accidental SYBR
to carry the gel box. Take
Single contact
extra gloves with you. Use Green contamination
with chemical or
bare hand only to open
of passer by or public
substance
doors, push lift buttons etc. area.
Once inside gel doc room,
glove up, put on lab coat
and process gel. When
returning to lab, put gel
back in transport box and
affix lid securely. Put a fresh
glove on one hand and
remove labcoat. Use gloved
hand to carry gel box.
Occasional : Not
Remotely Possible :
possible to avoid
Wear all protective
contact when
equipment
Substantial : Burns due cutting gel on
minimise exposure
to UV radiation
UV light since
time by cutting
bands are not
quickly therefore less
visible without
likely to cause injury.
UV light
VR
R
U
O
F
C
AC
Low
Mod
Subs
Subs
High
VH
QP
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
High
UP
Low
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
RP
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Mod
C
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
PI
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Exposure
Prob
Substantial : SYBR
Green is an alternative
to Ethidium Bromide.
Its risks are reported to
be low, however since
Frequent :
its function is similar to
Transporting gel Conceivable : PPE
Ethidium Bromide,
to geldoc occurs worn in PC2 facility
appropriate care
often
should be taken. At the
concentrations left in
the gel during
transport the health
effects are minimal
VR
R
U
O
F
C
AC
Low
Mod
Subs
Subs
High
VH
QP
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
High
UP
Low
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
RP
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Mod
C
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
PI
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
SPARQ-ed Risk Assessment Sheet : DNA/RNA Gel Electrophoresis (continued)
Description of Risk
Risk of Electrocution :
Electrophoresis gel tanks are
connected to a power source
during operation. Bringing live
equipment into contact with
water can result in an electric
shock. This can occur if operators
touch equipment with wet hands
or place live tank lids down on
wet bench tops.
Sharps Risk from a Scalpel Blade : A
disposable scapel blade is used to
excise DNA bands out of an agarose
gel
Sharps Risk from Pipette Tips :
Loading an agarose gel requires
pipetting DNA into the wells.
General hazards relate to the event of
a sharps injury (i.e. piercing of skin).
Toxicity from SYBR Green Used to Stain the
Agarose Gel : SYBR Green is used in SPARQed labs
as an alternative to Ethidium Bromide. While its
toxicity is reported as lower than Ethidium
Bromide, the mode in which it works is similar.
Therefore the use of SYBR Green in the laboratory
mirrors that of Ethidium Bromide. Ethidium
bromide is a chemical that can bind to DNA and
cause mutations. It is commonly used in agarose
gels with a concentrated solution of 10mg/ml. EtBr
is added after the agarose has been melted in the
microwave. Users are instructed to let the agarose
cool to about 60C before adding the ethidium
bromide - i.e. just before pouring the gel. An
alternative approach is to stain the agarose gel with
ethidium bromide after electrophoresis. In this
case the gel is placed in a 0.5ug/ml solution of
ethidium bromide for 15-20 minutes and then
rinsed in water to remove excess ethidium bromide
before visualising under UV light.
Hazard
Source
Current Controls
Electrical
Training in use of electrophoresis
equipment and power packs.
Caution signage. Operators are
instructed to always switch off
the power source while loading
tanks and before opening tanks
after running gels. All equipment
is to be handled with dry gloved
hands and benches are to be
kept dry. Keep electrical
appliances away from sink or
water. Equipment should meet
Australian Stds and be purchased
from a reputable company.
All mobile equipment is tested
and tagged yearly. Power leads
should be visually inspected
before each use. Do not use
double adaptors. If using multi
outlet powerboards ensure they
are individually switched and
have an overload switch.
Mechanical
Mechanical
Analyse / Evaluate Risk
Event
Consequences
Exposure
Probability
Overall Risk Category
(see explanation on last page)
Exposure
Prob
Forgetting to switch
off power source and
contacting live
equipment with wet Contact with
hands leading to
electricity
electric shock or
more serious
electrocution
Use scalpel blades on
handles Dispose of scalpel
blade via Qlicksmart device
Cuts from needles,
only. Dispose of broken
glass & blades into Sharps scalpel blade, razor
bin or Glass recycling bins blade, scissors
Care should be taken when
handling sharp instruments.
Training provided.
PPE worn (blue nitrile
gloves, labcoat and closed
footwear). Disposal of tips
into sharps container.
Category
Being hit by
moving object
When ejector of the
pipette fails the tip is
removed manually or
when ejected tip
Other contact
bounces back causing with chemical or
sharps injury (contact substance
or exposure to
chemical or biological
substances).
VR
R
U
O
F
C
Low
Mod
Subs
Subs
High
VH
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
High
Low
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
RP
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Mod
C
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
PI
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
AC
QP
VR
Low
Low
R
Mod
Low
U
Subs
Mod
O
Subs
Mod
F
High
Subs
C
VH
High
UP
RP
C
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Mod
Low
Low
Mod
Low
Low
Subs
Mod
Low
PI
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
AC
Substantial : Electric
shock requiring
medical treatment.
Substantial : Cuts.
Frequent : Gel
electrphoresis is
a common
procedure
Practically
QP
Impossible : If
control measures are
UP
followed
Unusual : Gel
purification
methods
Remotely Possible :
involving cutting Possible if control
bands out are
measures fail
infrequently
used
Prob
Prob
Conceivable :
Minor : A sharps injury
Frequent :
Unlikely to occur from a pipette tip is
loading agarose PPE is worn and
unlikely to require
gel is a common pipette tip ejected
more than first aid
procedure.
straight into sharps
treatment.
container.
Exposure
Exposure
VR
R
U
O
F
C
AC
Low
Low
Low
Low
Mod
Subs
QP
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Mod
UP
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
RP
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
C
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
PI
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Exposure
Prob
Chemical
Wearing gloves, safety
glasses, labcoat and
enclosed shoes. Have a
dedicated area when
working with SYBR
Green to contain any
spills.
Substantial : Exposure
to ethidium bromide
Accident exposure to
Single contact may result in mutation
chemical through
with chemical or of DNA which could
spill, splash,
substance
have long-term health
inhalation
consequences. SYBR
Green is used instead.
Remotely Possible :
Could possibly occur
Frequent :
but appropriate PPE
Agarose gel
is worn (particularly
preparation and
use of nitrile gloves
gel electrophesis
when handling SYBR
is a common
Green). SYBR Green
procedure.
is used in place of
ethidium bromide
VR
R
U
O
F
C
AC
Low
Mod
Subs
Subs
High
VH
QP
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
High
UP
Low
Low
Low
Mod
Mod
Subs
RP
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Mod
C
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
PI
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Explanation of Overall Risk Categories
Exposure
Very Rare (VR) –
extremely rare (has not
yet occurred
Rare (R) – hardly every
occurs (but has been
known to occur)
Unusual (U) – does not
occur often (from once
per month to once per
year)
Occasional (O) –
sometimes occurs (from
once per week to once
per month)
Frequent (F) – occurs
often (approximately
once daily)
Continuous (C) – occurs
repeatedly (or many
times daily)
Quite Possible (QP) – is
quite possible, not
unusual, has an even
50/50 chance
Unlikely but Possible
(UP) – Would be an
unusual sequence or
coincidence
Remotely Possible (RP) –
would be a remotely
possible coincidence
Conceivable (C) – has
never happened after
many years of exposure,
but is conceivably
possible
Practically Impossible
(P) – has never
happened after many
years of exposure and is
virtually impossible
Substantial (Subs) –
should receive attention
as soon as possible
High – immediate
correction required
Very High (VH) –
immediate correction
required
Probability (Prob)
Almost Certain (AC) – is
the most likely and
expected result if the
hazard event takes place
Overall Risk Category
Low – risk is normally
acceptable
Moderate (Mod) –
should be dealt with as
soon as possible but
situation is not an
emergency
The Overall Risk Category for each element is highlighted in green.