Laboratory Safety
CHEMICAL SAFETY
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• In 1987, United States Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) published
the Hazard Communication Standard
providing institutional educational practices to
ensure all laboratory personnel have a
thorough working knowledge of the hazards
of chemicals with which they work.
• Called “Right-to-Know”, which mandates
that all hazardous chemicals in the
workplace be identified and clearly
marked with National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) label, stating the
health risks and the hazard class.
NFPA Label
• Chemical hygiene plan – includes
guidelines on proper labeling of
chemical containers, manufacturer’s
material safety data sheet (MSDS),
and the written chemical safety
training and retraining programs
Employer’s Responsibility:
1. establish laboratory work methods and
safety policy
2. provide supervision and guidance to
employees
3. provide safety information, training, PPE, and
medical surveillance to employees
4. provide and maintain equipment and
laboratory facilities that are adequate for the
tasks required
Employee’s Responsibility:
1. know and comply with the established
laboratory work methods
2. have a positive attitude toward supervisors,
coworkers, facilities, and training
3. give prompt notification of unsafe conditions
to the immediate supervisor
4. engage in the conduct of safe work practices
and use of PPE
Material Safety Data Sheet includes:
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Substance name
Name, address, and telephone number of manufacturer
Hazardous ingredients
Physical and chemical properties
Fire and explosion data
Toxicity
Health effects and first aid
Stability and reactivity
Shipping data
Spill, leak, and disposal procedures
PPE
Handling and storage
Safety Equipment:
1. safety showers deliver 30-50gal/min of water at 2050psi
2. eye-wash stations
3. fire extinguishers
4. fire blankets, spill kits, first aid supplies
5. mechanical pipetting must be used for manipulating
all types of liquids
6. hoods
▪ fume hoods – required to expel noxious and hazardous
fumes
▪ biosafety cabinet – remove particles that may be harmful
to the employee who is working with infective biologic
specimens with biosafety levels
Chemical Storage Equipment
1. safety carriers should always be used to transport
500mL bottles of acids, alkalis, or other solvents
2. approved safety cans should be used for storing,
dispensing, or disposing flammables in volume
greater than 1qt
3. safety cabinets are required for the storage of
flammable liquids
4. only specially designed explosion proof refrigerators
should be used to store flammable materials
5. gas cylinders supports or clamps be used at all times,
and large tanks should be supported using handcarts
Chemical Spill (C-L-E-A-N)
• Contain the spill
• Leave the area
• Emergency: eye wash, shower and
medical care
• Access MSDS
• Notify supervisor
FIRE SAFETY
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• Considered an important component of the laboratory
safety program.
• Each laboratory is required to post fire evacuation plan that
are essentially blue prints for finding the nearest fire exit in
case of fire.
• Fire drills should be conducted quarterly or annually
depending on local laws to ensure that all personnel know
what to do in case of fire.
• Exit ways should always remain clear of obstructions, and
employees should be trained to use fire extinguishers.
Actions in case of fire: (R-A-C-E)
1. Rescue any injured individuals
2. Activate the fire alarm
3. Contain the fire; close the doors
4. Extinguish the fire, if possible
Classification of Fire
Types of Fire Extinguishers
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
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• Electrical cords should be checked regularly
for fraying and replace when necessary.
• All plugs should be the three-prong, grounded
type.
• All sockets should be checked for electrical
grounding and leakage at least annually.
• No extension cords should be used in the
laboratory.
HANDLING OF COMPRESSED GASES
1. Compressed gas cylinders contain pressurized
gases and must be properly handled and
secured.
2. In cases where leaking cylinders have fallen,
tanks have become missiles, resulting in loss
of life and destruction of property.
3. The metal cap should always be in place
when gas cylinder is not in use.
4. Cylinders should be transported chained to
special dollies.
BIOSAFETY
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General Considerations:
a. All blood samples, and other body fluids
should be collected, transported, handled,
and processed using strict precautions.
b. Gloves, gowns, and face protection must be
used if splash or splattering is likely to occur.
c. Centrifugation of biologic specimens produce
finely dispersed aerosols that are high-risk
source of infection.
Ways to acquire laboratory infections:
1. rubbing the eyes or nose with contaminated
hands
2. inhaling aerosols produced during
centrifugation, vortexing, or spills
3. accidental ingestion of microorganisms
4. suffering percutaneous inoculation by
needlestick
RADIATION SAFETY
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1. Dispose all radioactive material in
appropriate labeled container
2. Report any exposure to radioactive material
and seek medical attention
3. Radiation monitoring:
– film badge or survey meter
– exposure limits (max. permissible dose:
5000mrem/yr)
– wipe test (leak test)
EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN
Plan identifies tasks that are hazardous to
employees and promotes employee safety through:
a. employee orientation and education
b. appropriate disposal of hazardous wastes
c. standard precautions
d. engineering controls and safe work practices
e. PPE
f. postexposure plan
Types of Wastes
1. Hazardous Waste – solid waste or mixture of
solid wastes which may pose a threat to
human health or the environment when
improperly handled
2. Infectious Waste – equipment, utensils, or
substances that may harbor or transmit
pathogenic organisms from individuals who
may have a communicable disease
3. Medical Waste – any solid, semi-solid or
liquid waste generated in diagnosis,
treatment or immunization of humans or
animals in research or production or testing
of biologics
DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTES
• All materials contaminated with potentially
infectious agents must be decontaminated
before disposal.
• Infectious waste may be decontaminated by
use of autoclave, incinerator, or any one of
several alternative waste-treatment methods
• Infectious waste should be placed into two
leak-proof, plastic bags for sturdiness (doublebagging)
• Pipettes, swabs, and other glass objects
should be placed into rigid cardboard
containers before disposal.
• Broken glass is placed in thick boxes lined with
plastic biohazard bags
• Sharp objects are placed in Sharps Containers
which are autoclaved or incinerated when full
STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
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• In 1987, published and was first known as
Universal Precautions. Aimed at reducing the
risk of HBV transmission in clinical laboratories
and blood banks.
In 1996, became Standard Precautions and
postulates that:
1. Do not eat, drink, smoke, or apply cosmetics
(including lip balm).
2. Do not insert or remove contact lenses.
3. Do not bite nails or chew on pens.
4. Do not mouth-pipette.
5. Limit access to the laboratory to trained
personnel only.
6. Assume all patients are infectious.
7. Use appropriate barrier precautions to
prevent skin and mucous membrane
exposure.
8. Thoroughly wash hands and other skin
surfaces after gloves are removed and
immediately after contamination.
9. Take special care to avoid injuries with sharp
objects.
THE END!