RP 5 - Dissection

• Dissections include heart, fish gills, insect respiratory system or lungs.
• There are some ethical issues with dissection, including the way in which the animals are raised and killed.
• The equipment for dissection includes a scalpel, scissors, tweezers, pins, dissection board, newspaper/paper towels, and a biological specimen.
• In an emergency, safety precautions for dissection include using disinfectant, keeping the sample on the dissection board, and washing hands with soap after dissection.
• If there is a fire during dissection, safety precautions include putting out the fire and seeking assistance.
• Risk level for dissection is Biohazard, Contamination.
• Disinfectant is flammable and should be kept away from naked flame.
• Sharp tools used in dissection can cause cuts, which can be prevented by cutting away from fingers, using forceps to hold tissue whilst cutting, and keeping away from the edge of the desk.
• Elevate cuts, apply pressure, and seek medical assistance in case of an emergency.
• You should wear a lab coat, gloves, and eye protection for all dissections.
• To draw a labelled diagram, use a sharp HB pencil, make sure the drawing is large enough for detail and labels, do not use shading, use single and continuous lines, draw label lines with a ruler, do not cross label lines, do not use arrows, label all the structures, do not use colour, and include a magnification/scale.