CC LEC M2

• In the Clinical Chemistry, students learn about the importance of a laboratory safety program, different hazards in the clinical laboratory, the chain of infection, and waste materials disposal
• Hazards commonly seen in the Clinical Chemistry Laboratory include biological, chemical, electrical, fire, physical, and ergonomic hazards
• The Occupational Safety and Health Act aims to provide employees, including laboratory personnel, a safe work environment
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for ensuring and monitoring the implementation of safety standards
• Key elements for safety in the Clinical Chemistry section include having a formal safety program, documented policies, and effective use of mandated plans and programs
• Safety in the laboratory is achieved through common sense, a safety-focused attitude, good personal hygiene, good housekeeping, and the continual practice of good laboratory technique
• Every clinical laboratory must have a comprehensive formal safety program, with a designated Safety Officer or Chair of the Safety Committee responsible for its implementation and maintenance
• OSHA requires laboratories to provide employees with necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), including proper clothing, gloves, and eye protection
• Biological hazards in the Clinical Chemistry section include pathogen or disease-causing microorganisms present in blood specimens, requiring adherence to guidelines like Universal Precautions and Standard Precautions
• Standard Precautions are the minimum infection prevention practices that apply to all patient care, designed to protect healthcare personnel and prevent the spread of infections among patients
• In the Clinical Chemistry laboratory, it is essential to identify and label hazards, develop work practices for dealing with them, and follow guidelines to prevent exposure to biohazards
• Hazards encountered in clinical laboratories include biological, chemical, electrical, fire, physical, and ergonomic hazards
• The Clinical Chemistry module at SLU emphasizes the importance of a laboratory safety program, identification of hazards, the chain of infection, and proper waste materials disposal
• The chain of infection is the process by which an infectious disease spreads from one person to another, involving a source, a susceptible host, a portal of entry, and a portal of exit
• Proper waste management in the clinical chemistry section includes handling and disposing of biohazardous materials, including all patient specimens
• The chain of infection is the process by which an infectious disease spreads from one person to another, starting with a source that transmits the infection to a susceptible host through a portal of entry

  
• Understanding the chain of infection is essential to identify measures that prevent infection
• Chemical hazards in clinical laboratories:

  • The "Right to know Law" informs employees exposed to hazardous chemicals of associated health risks
  • Laboratories must have a written hazard communication program, MSDS for each hazardous compound, educate personnel on chemical labels and hazards, and maintain hazard warning labels on containers
• The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is a major safety information source for employees using hazardous materials, including product name, hazardous ingredients, exposure limits, health hazards, spill procedures, and more
• Basic principles in managing chemical hazards:

  • Chemical spills: flush with water, have emergency showers and eye wash stations
  • Chemical handling: mix chemicals following instructions, add acid to water, use fume hoods
  • Chemical storage: store chemicals in manageable sizes, avoid storing incompatible chemicals together
• Chemical hygiene plan requirements include appropriate work practices, PPE utilization, employee training, and a Chemical Hygiene Officer responsible for implementing the plan
• Chemical labeling should describe specific hazards like poisonous, corrosive, carcinogenic, teratogenic, reactive, flammable, and combustible
• Fire hazards involve the rapid oxidation of a combustible material, with elements like fuel, heat, and oxygen present in the laboratory
• NFPA diamond symbol provides a visual representation of health hazard, flammability, reactivity, and special hazards posed by chemicals during a fire
• Common fire extinguisher classes and their uses:

  • Class A: use soda and acid or water
  • Class B: use foam, dry chemical, or carbon dioxide
  • Class C: use dry chemical, carbon dioxide, halon, or non-conducting agents
  • Class ABC (multipurpose): use dry chemical on Class A, B, and C fires
  • Class K: use potassium-based alkaline liquid for high-temperature grease, oil, or fat fires
• In case of fire, apply R.A.C.E: Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish; and remember P.A.S.S when using a fire extinguisher: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
• Electrical hazards in clinical laboratories require precautions like reporting frayed cords, monitoring equipment, and unplugging before cleaning to prevent accidents
• Physical hazards in laboratories include heavy electrical equipment, compressed gases, and improperly placed machines, requiring precautions like avoiding running, lifting correctly, and maintaining a clean work area to prevent injuries
• End of flashcards
• Participants in Schaffer and Emerson's study on attachment were 60 babies from Glasgow
• In the study on attachment, the babies of parents who showed 'sensitive responsiveness' were more likely to have formed an attachment
• In glacial environments, the 2 main forms of erosion are abrasion and plucking
• Abrasion in glacial environments is a sandpapering effect caused by small rocks embedded within the glacier rubbing on bedrock, leaving a smooth surface with scratches called striations
• Plucking in glacial environments is when meltwater from glaciers freeze around broken or cracked parts of rock, breaking it off from the bedrock or sides as the ice moves down the slope
• Plucking is most prominent when there are many joints in the rock, as water can penetrate the rock and freeze in the cracks
• In the Clinical Chemistry laboratory, nonionizing radiation is a concern, and equipment often emits a variety of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation that must be protected against with engineered shielding or personal protective equipment
• Color-coded garbage bags are used in clinical laboratories for proper segregation of wastes, with different colors representing different types of waste
• Biological waste disposal in Clinical Chemistry involves decontaminating wastes following institutional policy, including soaking samples in Lysol or sodium hypochlorite solution, autoclaving, and proper disposal in biohazard containers
• Color-coded garbage bags are used in clinical laboratories for proper segregation of wastes, with different colors representing different types of waste
• Proper handwashing is the single most effective way of controlling the spread of infectious diseases, with specific steps outlined by WHO guidelines