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THE ORCBS > Biological Safety > Programs & Guidelines > Biosafety Manual >
A pipetting aid must always be used for pipetting procedures. Mouth pipetting must be strictly forbidden. The most common hazards associated with pipetting procedures are the result of mouth suction. Oral aspiration and ingestion of hazards associated with pipetting procedures are the result of mouth suction. Oral aspiration and ingestion of hazardous materials have been responsible for many laboratory-associated infections. Aerosols can be generated when a liquid is dropped from a pipette onto a work surface, when cultures are mixed by alternate sucking and blowing, and when the last drop is blown out of a pipette. The inhalation of aerosols unavoidably generated during pipetting operations can be prevented by working in a biological safety cabinet. Pipetting aides should be selected with care. Their design and use should not create an additional infectious hazard and they should be easy to sterilize and clean. Plugged (aerosol resistant) pipette tips should be used when manipulating microorganisms and cell cultures. Pipettes with cracked or chipped suction ends should not be used as they damage the seating seals of pipetting aids. |
Safety Equipment: Pipetting Aids 
