Safety
Safety and Security Hub
Welcome to the 2018 Safety and Security Hub!
iGEM expects all teams to demonstrate to iGEM HQ, the wider community, and to anyone interested how you are working safely and securely. Teams do this by thinking carefully about and managing any risks to yourselves, your colleagues, community, or the environment.
You need to continue to think about risks throughout your project and revisit these issue as your plans change. We also want you to think about any risks should your project ever become a product.
To assist in addressing safety and security risks, we have developed clear rules and policies that need to be followed. To help you understand what we are asking you to do and why, we have also developed tools to help and support you. To make it easier to provide the types of information needed, we have forms to be completed after your planning stage, whenever you want to use something not on our White List, and before the Jamboree. To support you working safely and securely, iGEM has a dedicated committee made up from experts around the world. (this last link should go to a new page that lists the SSC members).
We expect everyone involved with iGEM to act responsibly throughout the competition. Please read our Responsibilities page for more information on the roles and responsibilities of team members, instructors, and what you can expect from iGEM's Safety and Security Committee.
Safety in iGEM: A message from Piers Millet, iGEM Director of Safety and Security.
Working Safely and Securely in iGEM
Introduction
In iGEM, we have clear expectations for teams when it comes to safety. Please read our What is Safety page for complete details about Safe Project Design, Safe Laboratory Work, and Safe Shipment Practices.
Safety Policies
iGEM projects are at the forefront of what is technologically possible, and encounter important policy issues on a continual basis. In 2018 iGEM has clarified its positions on gene drives, antimicrobial resistance, use of animals, parts from risk group 4 organisms and deletions as modifications.
Safety Rules
All iGEM projects must follow a strict set of rules for lab safety. Read what they are here:
Guidelines and Resources
General guidelines for working in and outside the lab. These resources can help you understand some of iGEM's policies and rules.
Risk Groups
iGEM teams should use BL1 or BL2 organisms. Teams are not allowed to work with BL3 or BL4 organisms. For more information about Risk Groups, click here.
White List
The White List is a list of allowed organisms that teams can use in iGEM, along with organisms that require teams to contact HQ. For the full list, please click here.
Do Not Release
iGEM teams should not release any genetically modified organisms outside the lab. For more details, please click here.
Ask your Instructors!
Your first resource is always your instructors, advisors, and professors. They have experience working in their own lab facilities, and they know how to work with your university to ensure lab safety. Other local resources include:
- The laboratory manager for the lab where you work
- The safety office or Biosafety Committee at your university/institution
- Members of your local or national government
Exemplary Projects
Over the years, we have seen many iGEM teams take safety and security seriously in their work. Explore how teams have approached safety in their work.
Safety Forms
These forms are for you to tell us all about your project, the organisms/parts you are using, the potential risks of your project, and what you are doing to reduce those risks. Safety forms become available for editing early in the season. We encourage students to begin filling their forms as early as possible. If you will not be able to complete the forms before the deadlines, please email us and tell us about your situation. Email: safety AT igem DOT org
There are two forms that you can fill: The Check-In form, and the Safety Form.
- We encourage STUDENTS, instead of instructors, to complete these forms.
- You will need an Instructor or PI to sign and submit the Safety Form by the second deadline, before the Giant Jamboree.
- While you type, the forms will automatically save your answers.
Complying with the safety requirements is a condition of competing at iGEM - that includes providing all the information in this form by the relevant deadlines. Failure to do so can lead to immediate disqualification from the competition and referral to the Responsible Conduct Committee.
Safety Check-In Form
Opens: TBD
Any team that plans to acquire or use any organism/part that is NOT on the White List must submit a Check-In form first.
Check-Ins allow the iGEM Safety Committee to help you ensure that you will work safely with these riskier organisms/parts.
Note that there is no deadline for Check-In forms, they can be created and edited as needed throughout the season.
Safety Form
Opens: TBD
All teams are required to fill the Safety Form.
Deadlines
Complete by June 29, 2018 11:59PM EST
- Part 1.1: Contact
- Part 1.2: About our Lab
- Part 1.3: About our Project
Complete and submit by September 7, 2018 11:59PM EST
- Part 2.1: New Parts
- Part 2.2: Sign Off submitted by the Instructor or PI