Last Updated on Sep 2021
1. Safety Guidelines
Please adhere to the safety guidelines for your own safety and health. When in doubt, always
approach the bioimaging facility for assistance.
1.1 Lasers
Lasers in the confocal facility are class 3B lasers. This means that the lasers are strong enough
to cause serious damage to your eyes, including temporary to permanent blindness. Therefore,
please always follow the safety guidelines below when using the confocal microscopes:
•
Before turning on the lasers, make sure the power connections are all connected
properly. If there are any disconnected wires, please reconnect them or inform the facility
staff. If you see any exposed wires, do not attempt to use the equipment and inform
facility staff immediately.
•
For all confocal systems, there is a minimum time for lasers to be switched ON/OFF.
Please check the operation procedure for the respective microscopy system that you are
assigned to. This is to ensure the lasers have sufficient time to heat up and cool down
before running again.
•
When using the lasers to image,
NEVER
look directly at the laser while imaging. If a safety
shutter is present, make sure it is in the correct position to better protect your eyes.
1.2 Immersion Oil
Modern immersion oil has no known hazards to human beings so far, yet they can cause
discomfort to a person if the immersion oil has been left on skin for too long or inhaled.
Therefore, please take note of the following safety guidelines for using immersion oil:
•
Use the applicator to apply the immersion oil onto the slides for upright system.
•
Do not touch the applicator oil directly on the objective lens as this will scratch or break
the lens. Instead, allow the drop of oil to contact the lens surface.
•
If the bottle containing immersion oil has oil on the sides, wipe down with kimwipes and
ethanol. Wash hands immediately after with soap and water.
•
Wipe immersion oil off objective lenses after use using lens paper and wash hands
immediately after with soap and water.
•
Always clean up any spilled oil or residue from oily slides immediately after your session.
