The following precautions should be taken to prevent such occurrences. Eating, drinking and smoking must not be allowed in the laboratory. It is strongly recommended that students should wear laboratory coats. Any exposed cuts and abrasions should be protected with waterproof dressings before the practical work starts. Benches should be swabbed with a laboratory disinfectant before and after each practical session.
Suitable disinfectants are readily available from school science suppliers.
Teachers, technicians and students should always wash their hands after practical work. Spillages and breakages A microbial spills kit is useful. After not less than 10 minutes, it must be cleared away using paper towels and a dustpan. The contaminated material must be placed in an infected waste container or disposal bag. This must be autoclaved before disposal.