Labby Mc LabSpace: updates and going forward

The Hackspace
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It’s been a couple months of hard work by the membership in building a comunity bio lab

Special Thanks to:
Ray for help with painting and removing the HVAC
Cameron for helping with the HVAC system
Chris for donating lab gear
Cat for help with cleaning out the cave
Jo for naming the lab.

After feedback from the board thorough it be best to clarify the information.

after get

Current Status

the lab as it stands is classed as a kitchen and ristricts work to this white list of substances

  • known food safe substance thier know safe derivatives these include
    • culinary Fungi
    • lacto ferments
    • alcohol ferment
    • koji ferment
    • kombucha
    • Vingers
    • Miso and Peaso
    • Shoyu
    • Garum
    • Black Fruits and veg
  • fruit and vegetables
  • meats bellow 30°C and above 42°C
  • domesticated yeast
  • nonpoisonous none hazardous domestic plants and seeds
  • domestic chemicals examples such as
    • bleach
    • isopropanol alcohol
    • domestically available food additives such as sodium citrate and citric acid
  • inert non hazardous materials such as
    • Salt
    • plastic
    • heat proof glass

this does not include

  • non-pathogenic strains of E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae
  • live animals
  • drugs
  • baned substances such as
    • psilocybin
    • psychoactive substances
    • class ABC drugs
  • banned organisms
    • the plant family Cannabaceae and its derivatives
    • human / animal / plant pathogenic
    • Prions
    • virus’s
    • psychoactive compound producing fungi / animals / plants
    • poisonous plants
  • human derived product’s such as
    • saliva
    • fluids
    • solids
    • dont make me list them all please

this does restrict us to protocals what can be done in a kitchen for the time being.
this means the practice, of biosafety under BSL1 Conditions as as described in the lab safety handbook located in the lab.

handdling of waste is to be strilzed with bleach and isopropanol alcohol

current projects

currently isolated and growing culinary mushrooms for consumption at the park space opening day.

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planning to do some alcohol ferments search as fruit wine and maybe grow a couple plants such as arugula, spinich for stir frying.

training

To strike a balance of stafety for members and access to of use, I have consulted professionally and received the advice of a period of 4 weeks supervised lab by a successfully trained member before unsupervised may happen.

equitment training will take place durring these supervised sesstions by the required trainers and exstra time will need to be alloted to allow this

defining a weeks’s lab use:

at least 1 visit to the lab in that current week for a minimum off 2 hours not including break or a single run of a protocal. ie spore exstraction.

current unsupervised members

Alex bennett

current supervised members

  • Grayson 1 week completed
  • Ray 1 week completed need to check if completed 2nd week

health and safety

a health and safety manual has been provided for membership to utilize, please reffer to its guidence and your common sence when within the lab.

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storage

locked storage is currently provided for sensitive lab equipment and supplies for members to use. As of yet unsupervised means of access to the cabinet has not been made available need to get a codded key cabinet.
the board have been provided a copy of these keys

Documention

all activities within the boundary of the lab are to be recorded in the lab notebook and to follow the bellow schema

  • always write in pen
  • strike out mistakes with single line
  • date and authored
  • clearly formated
  • tape supplement material with masking tape not glue
  • review your work afer finishing
  • signed by a unsupervisor member or a supervisor.

going forward

classes

i wish to provide classes in the lab and to colabrate with other spaces in the shareing of knowloage and resorces to bring larger projects to members that would otherwise be locked off to a unveristy

funding

as of current the lab as been funded for cunsumabled between the space and myself with donations from the membership. i am aware that running a lab will requier additional funding for consumables and equipment, and need to discuse with the membership with what people want to do similar to welding at weldy grindy

pressure cooker sterilisation

the board have requested before pressure cooker is brought into the space A risk assessment and full documentation is provided this has been fulfilled and is awaiting approval.

Ecoli handdling

handdling of non-pathogenic strains of E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae will need a GMO1 forms HSE GMO contained use premises notification CU1 2014.
Adequate equipment including sutable sterilisation capablilllity

Genetics

to handdle plasmids and to pratice Genetically modifcation will need to prodived the below paper work

for the United Kingdom
● Regulation of GMOs is based on the The Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained
Use) Regulations 2014 and is overseen by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
● Detailed guidelines are laid out in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Genetic
Modification (SACGM) Compendium of Guidance.
● All community labs conducting work with GM organisms will need to notify the HSE,
which involves completing a form, risk assessment, and paying a fee. There may be
exceptions if you only plan to transform lab strain bacteria with very well-characterised
reporter genes, e.g., GFP; in this case we suggest contacting the HSE for further guidance.

qualification

looking into what it would take to have membership be able to take exams and be provided with industry recognisable qualifications. ? for thier projects and time in the lab

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If not already done so, it would be worthwhile reading through the following, and making notes in reference to the key points, the BSL scoring system is derived from the United States, and, unfortunately, isn’t accepted by either the HSE or COSHH, they have their own UK scoring system, and it would be a good idea to keep on the good side of the HSE, as they have the power to close, or seal the space until remedial action has been undertaken, and they have seen the remedies in place:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/information.htm

One of the minimum criteria is a sink in which to be able to wash hands without opening a door prior to, and in the case of safety, laboratories of any variety are preferable to having doors that open outwards from inside the laboratory, on the bases of being able to exit unrestricted in the event of an accident or emergency, akin to a fire door. I’m uncertain what can be accomplished with respect to the current site of LabSpace, however, it would perhaps be better suited as a secure store for laboratory items in the immediate vicinity of the lab being sited outside in the space that used to be the “Green Room”?, if memory serves me correctly.

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this guidance in the pdf is for CL2 and 3 this is not somthing that we ever plan on becoming as it deals with human pathogens and thier containment. please post infomation for CL1 as my understanding the BSL1 and CL1 are near identical witth diffrent wording.
as for a sink free standing mobile units exsit.

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Hi,

The documents provided include everything from CL1 through CL3, the categories that are relevant are in the later documents referring to HG classifications.

Irrespective of whether using anything even remotely pathogenic, which I agree we aren’t, or rather shouldn’t, you should work to the next standard up from the one you are operating within, so, if operating within CL1, or HG1, you should be able to meet the minimum specifications for CL2.

It’s a case of managing risk, whilst there may be no risk, as defined under the assessment, you should at least behave as if there were, for example contamination of samples with unknown entities, and how to deal with them proactively, and safely.

I requested advice from my father, a former HSE officer for Astra Zeneca of some 40 years, and he hasn’t ever come across the BSL classification system in use within the UK, but has said it would be both academic, and advisable to work as suggested to the next available classification standard.

I’m not by any means attempting to put a downer on things, purely trying to make sure all bases are covered :blush:

Kind regards,

Jim.

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One point for consideration is that if we are legally defined as a limited company, I believe Manchester Makers Limited is the title, any operations by members may fall under the “Health and Safety at Work Act”, it could therefore be wise to perhaps seek advice from a suitably qualified health and safety advisor if there is any uncertainty, and should it be deemed unnecessary for there to be more stringent protocols in place, to be able to obtain documentation from them stating so, and why?

The HSE have a tendency to randomly inspect, without warning, and being able to hand them all the required documents, and demonstrate the implementation thereof, would really put us in their good books, and not provide them with opportunity to scrutinize any activities within the space?

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I expected the lab would largely be a fun thing and not taken too seriously I must admit.

That’s how I’ve been treating it anyway - my 2c is we keep it that way and keep away from certifications and so on.

Also please stop taking equipment such as the ultrasonic cleaner, cleaning materials such as the IPA bottle and cleaning chemicals, and just claiming them for the lab. It’s quite selfish to write “Lab” on communal things - it causes chaos and delay for people who want to use the tools or materials for their projects.

I’m saying it now as I know it’s really annoyed a few people. Please consider when doing something if it could cause problems for someone else wanting to use that item or area. Hopefully we can go on a bit better now :slightly_smiling_face:

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regarding the ultrasonic cleaner it was under richards permission it was there. ill get another bottle for the ipa, going to get more anyway sorry for inconvenience and misunderstanding

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Hold on, you never asked before moving it. You just moved it then asked afterwards.
I said it was ok for a while as long as it got moved back later on. It’s already been moved back now anyways

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this talk lab bio saftey out side of scope (CL2/BSL2) is not helping it scares people and takes time away from the fun, and jokes aside the amount of time ive had to talk people down who think bio lab = next covid place is astrnomical, its getting old.
yes to play with anything more than food we are going to have to do some paperwork. thats comes with ocupaction. too place it into perspective in GCSE you get taught with ecoli , thats whats being aiming for paperwork wise, not swine flu or etc…
getting past the peduice of biology and actually do it.

trying too keep it open as possible and not just me, got more than halfway into training another hand and progressing with others.

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change of tune when spoke earlier. thanks

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No not really, I did raise concerns when it was moved, but panicked less once I realised where it was.
That being said in the future please ask on telegram first.

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was used to heat a pot to 50.C and was going to be returned promptly.
i have the labs own replacement in my living room for past few weeks. its been deamed not allowed in the space untill the baord election is done as needs a rubber stamp of aproval.

the fiction of doing somthing then getting shouted at for it vs asking permission then being told no for most trival things getting on my tits.
i get it its a new thing and people aren’t super happy about it. just talk to me if somthing is wrong rather than this.

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I’m not that bothered personally, but it does affect others as well which is the problem. If you know someone is going to say no but don’t ask because of that reason then that’s usually an indication you’re doing something wrong :slight_smile:

I’m also taking for granted that there was water in the tank while the heater was used. The reason I mention this is that with no water using the heater will damage the device (discolouration of the base and burny smells from the heating element typically)

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