LABORATORY

1. SAFETY IN THE CLINICAL
LABORATORY

2. BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
• BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
• EXAMPLE: POTENTIALLY HARMFUL MICROORGANISM
• CHAIN OF INFECTION
• TRANSMISSION OF MICROORGANISM
• REQUIRES CONTINUOUS LINK BETWEEN:
• SOURCE
• MODE OF TRANSMISSION
• SUSCEPTIBLE HOST

3. • PREVENTION:
• PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• GLOVES
• LAB GOWNS
• MASKS
• PROPER HAND WASHING
• HAND CONTACT IS THE PRIMARY METHOD OF INFECTION TRANSMISSION
• HANDWASHING IS THE BEST WAY TO BREAK THE CHAIN OF INFECTION

4. • HAND WASHING PROCEDURE
• WET HANDS WITH WARM WATER
• APPLY SOAP
• RUB HANDS TO FORM A LATHER, CREATE FRICTION AND REMOVE DEBRIS
• CLEAN THOROUGHLY BETWEEN FINGERS , UNDER FINGERNAILS, AND WRIST FOR
AT LEAST 15 SECONDS.
• RINSE IN A DOWNWARD POSITION
• DRY WITH TOWEL OR PAPER TOWEL
• TURN OFF FAUCET WITH PAPER TOWEL TO PREVENT RECONTAMINATION

5. • GUIDELINES FOR HAND WASHING:
• WASH HANDS WITH A DETERGENT SOAP OR AN ANTIMICROBIAL SOAP:
• WHEN HANDS ARE VISIBLY SOILED WITH DIRT OR BODY FLUIDS
• BEFORE EATING
• AFTER USING THE RESTROOM
• APPLY AN ALCOHOL-BASED HAND RUB
• BEFORE AND AFTER HAVING DIRECT CONTACT WITH A PATIENT
• BEFORE APPLYING AND AFTER REMOVING GLOVES
• WHEN HANDS ARE NOT VISIBLY SOILED

6. DISPOSAL OF BIOLOGICAL WASTE
• ALL BIOLOGICAL WASTE, EXCEPT URINE MUST BE PLACED IN
APPROPRIATE CONTAINERS LABELED WITH THE BIOHAZARD
SYMBOL
• DISCARD URINE BY POURING IT INTO A LABORATORY SINK,
AVOID SPLASHING THEN FLUSH WITH WATER

8. SHARP HAZARDS
• SHARP OBJECTS (NEEDLES, LANCETS, BROKEN
GLASSWARE)
• MUST BE DISPOSED OF IN PUNCTURE PROOF
CONTAINER.

10. CHEMICAL HAZARDS
• CHEMICAL SPILLS
• BEST FIRST AID: FLUSH THE AREA WITH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER
FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES THEN SEE MEDICAL ATTENTION
• DO NOT NEUTRALIZE CHEMICALS THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH SKIN.
• CHEMICAL HANDLING
• ALWAYS ADD ACID TO WATER
• TO AVOID SUDDEN SPLASHING
• AN EXPLOSION CAN OCCUR IF WATER IS ADDED TO ACID

12. NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
(NFPA)
• YELLOW QUADRANT
• REACTIVITY / STABILITY HAZARD
“SUVSM”
• 0 = STABLE
• 1 = UNSTABLE IF HEATED
• 2 = VIOLENT CHEMICAL CHANGE
• 3 = SHOCK AND HEAT MAY DETERIORATE
• 4 = MAY DETERIORATE

13. NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
(NFPA)• WHITE QUADRANT
• SPECIFIC HAZARD
• OXY – OXIDIZER
• ACID – ALKALI
• COR – CORROSIVE
• W – USE NO WATER
• O – RADIATION

14. NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
(NFPA)• BLUE QUADRANT
• HEALTH HAZARD
“NSHED”
• 0 = NORMAL MATERIAL
• 1 = SLIGHLY HAZARDOUS
• 2 = HAZARDOUS
• 3 = EXTREME DANGER
• 4 = DEADLY

15. NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
(NFPA)• RED QUADRANT
• FLAMMABILITY HAZARD
• 0=WILL NOT BURN
• 1 = ABOVE 200 F
• 2 = BELOW 200F
• 3 = BELOW 100F
• 4 = BELOW 73 F

16. NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
(NFPA)
• DEGREE OF HAZARDS
“NO SMS EX”
• 0 = NO/MINIMAL HAZARD
• 1 = SLIGHT HAZARD
• 2 = MODERATE HAZARD
• 3 = SERIOUS HAZARD
• 4 = EXTREME HAZARD

17. NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
(NFPA)

18. RADIOACTIVE HAZARD
• WHEN PROCEDURES USING A RADIOISOTOPES ARE
PERFORMED
• EXPOSURE TO RADIATION DURING PREGNANCY
PRESENTS A DANGER TO THE FETUS

19. ELECTRICAL HAZARDS
• DO NOT OPERATE EQUIPMENT WITH WET HANDS
• ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT MUST BE GROUNDED WITH THE THREE-PRONGED
PLUGS
• IF ELECTRICAL SHOCK OCCURS, NEVER TOUCH THE PERSON OR THE
EQUIPMENT INVOLVED
• TURN OFF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER
• UNPLUG THE EQUIPMENT
• MOVE THE OBJECT USING A NONCONDUCTIVE GLASS OR WOOD OBJECT

20. FIRE HAZARDS
• FLAMMABLE CHEMICALS SHOULD BE STORED IN SAFETY CABINETS AND EXPLOSION PROOF
REFRIGERATORS IN A REMOTE AREA

21. When fire is discovered,
RACE!!!
To operate a fire
extinguisher, PASS!!
R - RESCUE RESCUE
ANYONE IN
DANGER
P – PULL THE PIN
A - ALARM ACTIVATE THE
INSTITUTIONAL
FIRE ALARM
A – AIM AT THE BASE OF
THE FIRE
C - CONTAIN CLOSE ALL
DOORS TO
POTENTIALLY
AFFECTED AREAS
S – SQUEEZE HANDLES
E - EXTINGUISH ATTEMPT TO
EXTINGUISH THE
FIRE, IF POSSIBLE;
EXIT THE AREA
S - SWEEP NOZZLE SIDE TO
SIDE

22. TYPES OF FIRE AND FIRE
EXTINGUISHER
FIRE TYPE Types of hazard Type of extinguisher
TYPE A ORDINARY COMBUSTIBLES:
PAPER, CLOTH, RUBBISH,
PLATICS, WOOD
WATER, DRY CHEMICAL, LOADED
STEAM
TYPE B FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS: GREASE,
GASOLINE, PAINTS, OIL
DRY CHEMICAL, HALON,
CARBON DIOXIDE
TYPE C ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT DRY CHEMICAL, HALON,
CARBON DIOXIDE
TYPE D FLAMMABLE METALS:
MERCURY, MAGNESIUM,
SODIUM, LITHIUM
METAL X, SAND, ; FOUGHT BY
FIREFIGHTERS ONLY
TYPE E DETONATION (ARSENAL FIRE) ALLOWED TO BURN OUT
TYPE K COOKING MEDIA: GREASE, OIL ,
FATS
LIQUID DESIGNED TO PREVENT
SPLASHING AND COOL THE FIRE