lesson 3

• Although phlebotomy is considered one of the most commonly performed procedures in the field of medicine, there are still risks involved that can be hazardous to both patient and healthcare personnel.
• all depends on risk assessment
• 1. Safety - being safe or free from any form of harm in the laboratory.
• Hazard - any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects.
• 1. Risk - situation involving exposure to danger.
• Pathogen - pathologic agent.

  infection- invasion and multiplication of pathogens in the body.

  infestation - external problem in body
• OSHA = Occupational Safety and

  Health Administration

  The role of OSHA is to assure the safety and health of workers by setting and enforcing standards, provide training and encouraging continual process of improvement in workplace safety and health.
• The Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals

  in Laboratories standard (29 CFR 1910.1450),

  commonly referred to as the Laboratory standard,

  requires that the employer designate a Chemical

  Hygiene Officer and have a written Chemical Hygiene

  Plan (CHP), and actively verify that it remains

  effective.
• The Hazard Communication standard (29 CFR

  1910.1200), sometimes called the HazCom stan-

  dard, is a set of requirements first issued in 1983 by

  OSHA. The standard requires evaluating the poten-

  tial hazards of chemicals, and communicating infor-

  mation concerning those hazards and appropriate

  protective measures to employees.
• The Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR

  1910.1030), including changes mandated by the

  Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act of 2001,

  re-quires employers to protect workers from

  infection with human bloodborne pathogens in

  the workplace.
• The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standard

  (29 CFR 1910.132) requires that employers provide

  and pay for PPE and ensure that it is used wherever

  “hazards of processes or environment, chemical

  hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irri-

  tants are encountered in a manner capable of caus-

  ing injury or impairment in the function of any part

  of the body through absorption, inhalation or phys-

  ical contact.”
• The Eye and Face Protection standard (29 CFR

  1910.133) requires employers to ensure that each

  affected worker uses appropriate eye or face pro-

  tection
• The Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR

  1910.134) requires that a respirator be provided to

  each worker when such equipment is necessary
• The Hand Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.138),

  requires employers to select and ensure that work-

  ers use appropriate hand protection when their

  hands are exposed to hazards
• The Control of Hazardous Energy standard (29

  CFR 1910.147), often called the “Lockout/Tagout”

  standard, establishes basic requirements for locking

  and/or tagging out equipment while installation,

  maintenance, testing, repair, or construction

  operations are in progress.
• BIOLOGICAL HAZARD (BIOHAZARD)

  Involves potentially harmful microorganisms.
• Pathogens - microorganisms capable of producing diseases to the human body.

  BACTERIA

  PARASITE

  VIRUS

  FUNGI

  PRION
• Nosocomial Infection

  Term used to designate an infection acquired by a patient during a hospital stay.
• PHYSICAL HAZARD

  Factors within the environment that can harm the body
• SHARP HAZARD

  Involving accidental puncture of the skin.
• A needle or lancet used to collect blood has the capability to produce a very significant

  exposure to bloodborne

  pathogens.
• EXAMPLES OF BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN

  Hepatitis B virus

  Hepatitis C virus

  Human immunodeficiency virus

  Viral hemorrhagic fevers (Ebola virus

  ,disease, Lassa fever)
• EXAMPLES OF SHARP HAZARDS

  1. Needles
  2. Lancets
  3. Blades
  4. Scalpel
  5. Broken glasses.
• CHEMICAL HAZARD

  Working with chemicals that can cause harm (reagents, preservatives).
• Chemicals should never be mixed together unless specific instructions are followed.
• MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (MSDS)

  An MSDS contain information on physical and chemical

  characteristics, fire, explosion reactivity, health hazards, primary routes of entry, exposure. limits, and carcinogenic potential, precautions for safe handling, spill clean-up and emergency first aid information.
• EXAMPLES OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS

  • 1. Picric acid - explosive when dry.
  • Benzene - cause anemia.

  Formaldehyde - cause skin, throat, eyes and noseirritations.

  * 4. Methanol - causes blindness. / Female - infertility

  5. Ethylene glycol - poisoning.
• RADIOACTIVE HAZARD

  Working with radiation.
• Phlebotomists may come in contact with radioactivity

  while

  drawing blood from patients in the radiology department or patients receiving radioactive treatments and in the laboratory when procedures using radioisotopes are performed.
• ELECTRICAL HAZARD

  Involving the use of electricity and equipment.
• Phiebotomists should be observant for any dangerous conditions such as frayed cords and overloaded circuits. Also, they must be knowledgeable on how to properly operate and use machines and equipment.
• FIRE/EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS

  Occurs when there is a burning or explosive materials.
• Phlebotomists

  should be

  familiar with

  procedures and with the basic steps to follow when a fire is discovered.

  RACE

  Rescue - anyone in immediate danger

  Alarm - activate the institutional fire alarm

  Contain - close all doors to potentially affected areas

  Extinguish/Evacuate - extinguish the fire, if possible, or evacuate, closing the doors.
• The phlebotomists should be thoroughly familiar with the operation of the fire extinguishers

  PASS T- Tuist

  P - pull the pin.

  A - aim at base of fire.

  S- squeeze handles.

  S - Sweep nozzie, side to side.
• The National Fire Protection Association

  (NEPA) classifies fires with regard to the type of burning material and also classifies the type of fire extinguisher that is used to control them.
• HEALTH HAZARD

  Color. BLUE

  Locabon: LEFT

  FLAMMABILITY

  Color: RED

  Locaton: TOP

  REACTIVITY

  Color. YELLOW

  Location: RIGHT

  SPECIAL HAZARD

  Color. WHITE

  Location: BOTTOM
• LATEX SENSITIVITY

  Using materials or equipment with lates
• LATEX SENSITIVITY

  Using materials or equipment with latex:
• Latex - soft white substance found beneath the bark of a mature rubber tree.
• Reactions to latex include irritant contact dermatitis that produces patches of dry, itchy irritation on the hands, delayed hypersensitivity reactions resembling poison ivy that appear 24 to 28 hours following exposure, and true immediate hypersensitivity reactions often characterized by respiratory difficulty.