Laboratory Safety

• TYPES OF SAFETY HAZARDS

  • BIOLOGICAL
  • SHARPS
  • CHEMICAL
  • RADIOACTIVE
  • ELECTRICAL
  • FIRE/EXPLOSIVE
• Biological


  Infectious agents, Bacterial, fungal, viral, or parasitic infections
• Chain of Infection


  1. a reservoir

  2. a portal of exit

  3. a means of transmission

  4. a portal of entry

  5. a susceptible host
• Main goal of biological safety – prevent the completion of chain of infection
• Main goal of biological safety – it is to protect the healthcare worker
• Possible Routes of Infection in the Laboratory

  • Airborne/Inhalation
  • Ingestion
  • Direct Inoculation
  • Mucous membrane contact
  • Arthropod vectors
• Two types of Vectors: Biological Vector, Mechanical Vector
• Universal Symbol for Hazardous Material
• Isolation Precautions in Hospitals

  • Universal Precautions (UP)
  • Body Substances Isolation (BSI)
  • STANDARD PRECAUTIONS and Transmission-Based Precautions; HICPAC/CDC
• Standard Precaution


  Formed through the combination of the strong points of Universal Precautions (UP) and Body Substances Isolation (BSI)
• Correct Handwashing


  1. Wet hands with warm water

  2. Apply antimicrobial soap

  3. Rub to form lather, create friction, and loosen debris

  4. Rinse hands in a downward position

  5. Dry with a paper towel

  6. Turn off the faucets with a clean paper towel to prevent recontamination
• Ignaz Semmelweis - Founder of Handwashing
• Mechanical rubbing – important step in Handwashing
• Handling of Specimen


  1. All specimens should be transported to the laboratory in sealed plastic bags

  2. When removing lids or caps from specimens, the technologist should work behind a protective shield or should cover the specimens with gauze or disposable tissues to prevent sprays and splatter

  3. During centrifugation, specimens should be capped or placed in covered trunnions to prevent aerosols
• Washing of container specimens for reuse is not proper or recommended because it is still contaminated
• Disposable container – recommended
• Specimen should be capped because the spinning motion of centrifuge generates aerosols
• Once you spin the centrifuge, you cannot open the lid until it spinning is done because it is to prevent you from inhalation of aerosols
• Disposal of Biological Waste

  1. All biological waste, except urine, must be placed in appropriate containers labeled with the biohazard symbol

  2. Urine can be discarded in the sink and after discarding it is a good practice to run the water in the sink and use 5% sodium hypochlorite or a dilution of 1:5 or 1:10

  3. For the disinfection of counter tops use 10% sodium hypochlorite or a dilution of 1:3

  4. The waste is then decontaminated following institutional policy; incineration, autoclaving, or pick up by certified hazardous waste company
• Urine may be discarded by pouring it into a laboratory sink
• Disinfection of sink using 1:5 or 1:10 dilution of sodium hypochlorite should be performed daily
• Sodium hypochlorite dilutions stored in plastic bottle are effective for 1 month if protected from light after preparation; used routinely disinfecting countertops and accidental spills
• Empty urine containers can be discarded as nonbiologically hazardous waste
• Sharps


  Needles, lancets, broken glass, Cuts, punctures, or blood-borne pathogen exposure
• the sharps in Clinical Microscopy is broken glass
• In the centrifuge, if the test tube inside is not balance, it can lead to breaking of glass
• Chemical


  Preservatives and reagents, Exposure to toxic, carcinogenic, or caustic agents
• Chemical hygiene plan (CHP)


  Defines the safety policy and procedures for all hazardous chemicals used in the laboratory
• Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)


  Formerly known as MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)
• Chemical spills


  1. First aid: flush area with large amount of water for at least 15 minutes

  2. Contaminated clothing should be removed as soon as possible

  3. No attempt to be made to neutralize chemical that come in contact with the skin
• Chemical handling


  Chemical should never be mixed together unless specific instructions are followed
• You can mix acid to water, never water to acid
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Sections


  • Identification
  • Hazard identification
  • Composition/Information on Ingredients
  • First-Aid Measures
  • Firefighting Measures
  • Accidental Release Measures
  • Handling and Storage
  • Exposure Controls/Personal Protection
  • Physical and Chemical Properties
  • Stability and Reactivity
  • Toxicologic Information
  • Ecologic Information (nonmandatory)
  • Disposal Considerations (nonmandatory)
  • Transport Information (nonmandatory)
  • Regulatory Information (nonmandatory)
  • Other Information (nonmandatory)
• Radioactive


  Equipment and radioisotopes, Radiation exposure
• Electrical


  Ungrounded or wet equipment; frayed cords, Burns or shock
• If there is a shock in any electrical equipment, do not touch and turn it off or turn off the circuit breaker
• Fire/explosive


  Bunsen burners, organic chemicals, Burns or dismemberment
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 704-M Hazard Identification System


  "Fire diamond", Diamond shaped' "square-on-point", color coded symbol contains information relating to health, flammability, reactivity, and personal protection/special precautions
• NITRIC ACID: A powerful oxidizing agent and nitrating agent, Very toxic by inhalation, Corrosive to metals or tissue, Prolonged exposure to low concentrations or short-term exposure to high concentrations may result in adverse health effects
• Types of Fires and Fire Extinguisher

  • Class A (Ordinary combustible materials)
  • Class B (bumubula)
  • Class C (coryente)
  • Class K (kitchen)