Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) 

Students are responsible to follow health and safety guidelines relevant to their individual activities, processes, and to review MICA’s Emergency Operations Plan and attend EHS training. Students are required to purchase personal protection equipment appropriate for their major or class. Those students who do not have the proper personal protection equipment will not be permitted to attend class until safe measures and personal protection are in place.

Biosafety

In addition to all Environmental Health and Safety Policies established by MICA, the Interdisciplinary Sculpture department, and the Digital Fabrication Studio, Student must also follow the biosafety policies of this class and laboratory. Our lab and the work we will undertake in class fall under Biosafety Level 1 (BSL1). We will work with only strains of organisms known to not pose harm to humans. In general, the work we do in class will be safer than what you likely encounter in an average kitchen. We will typically be more worried about you contaminating your work than your work contaminating you. However, we will follow strict protocols regarding biosafety. These lab policies will be detailed in class and posted in the lab. 

The general policies are defined as follows:

  • All health and safety instructions and policies posted in the lab, stated by the instructor or GTI, or provided in lab protocols must be followed.
  • No work outside of the specifically assigned lab exercises may be done in the lab without express consent of the instructor.
  • No new organisms may be cultured in the lab without proper biosafety approval.
  • No organisms or materials may leave the lab without express consent of the instructor.
  • Living genetically engineered materials must not leave the lab, unless specifically approved and under defined conditions from the instructor and/or the office of Environmental Health and Safety.
  • All waste with any biological material must be properly disposed of in biohazard bins, and all liquid biohazards must be properly neutralized prior to disposal.
  • No food or drink is permitted to be consumed, stored, or even present in the lab.
  • No pets are permitted in the lab.
  • Student must follow the class code of ethics.
  • If ever in doubt about what you are doing, stop and ask the instructor.