LABORATORY SAFETY
OSHA - OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT
OSHA - Public Law 91-596
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Enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1970
Authorized to conduct Onsite Inspections
GOAL: To provide all employees (Clinical Laboratory Personnel Included) with a safe work
environment
OSHA STANDARDS:
1.
Blood borne Pathogen Standard
2.
Formaldehyde Standard
3.
Laboratory Standard
4.
Hazard Communication Standard
5.
Respiratory Protection Standard
6.
Air Contaminants Standard
7. Personal Protective Equipment Standard
BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS:
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Applies to all exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials
It defines terminology relevant to such exposures mandates the development of an exposure
control plan
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS:
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All human blood, tissue, and most fluids are known to be infectious
a. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
b. Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
c. Other Blood borne Pathogens
BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS STANDARDS:
History : Published in 1991. Revised in 2001 following passage of Needlestick Safety & Prevention Act to
induce stronger requirements for employers to evaluate & adopt safer medical devices.
Purpose : To protect health-care workers from occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens (BBP; e.g.,
HIV, HBV, HCV)
Primary Requirements :
Exposure control plan - Determination of employees risk of exposure & implementation of
methods to control exposure. Plans must be reviewed & updated annually to reflect new technologies.
Documentation of evaluation & adoption of safer devices is required. Nonmanagerial employees must be
involved in evaluation & selection of devices.
Universal precautions - All blood & certain body fluids are to be handled as if known to be
infectious for bloodborne pathogens.
Engineering controls - Control measures that isolate or remove a hazard from the workplace, e.g.,
sharps containers, self-sheathing needles, plastic capillary tubes, Plexiglas shields.
Work practice controls - e.g. hand washing, disposal of needles with safety device activated &
holder attached,.ban on eating/drinking/smoking in lab.
Personal protective clothing & equipment - e.g., lab coats, gloves, face shields. Employers must
provide & must launder lab coats.
Housekeeping - e.g., proper disposal of biohazardous waste, decontamination of work surfaces.
Training - On assignment & annually thereafter.
Medical surveillance - Post exposure evaluation & follow-up at no cost to the employee.
Hepatitis B vaccine - Provided by employer within 10 days of assignment at no cost to employee.
Hazard communication - e.g., biohazard labels, red bags
Sharps injury log - Must include description & location of incident, device involved. Employee
privacy must be protected.
HAZARD COMMUNICATION:
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OSHA HazCom Standard
Ensure that the hazards of all chemicals used in the workplace have been evaluated
Defines hazardous substances and provides guidance for evaluating and communicating identified
hazards
SAMPLE CHEMICAL LABEL:
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Statement of hazard;
Hazard class;
Safety precautions;
National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) hazard code;
Fire extinguisher type;
Safety instructions;
Formula weight;
Lot number
NATIONAL FIRE
PROTECTION
ASSOCIATION [NFPA]
HAZARD COMMUNICATION:
History : Issued by OSHA in 1983. Written for the manufacturing industry, but courts expanded
jurisdiction to clinical labs.
Also Known as : “Right to know Law” ; “HAZCOM”
Purpose : To inform employees about chemical hazard in workplace and protective measures
Primary Requirements:
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Written hazard communication plan
Inventory of hazardous chemicals on site
Hazard labeling
Material safety data sheet (MSDS) for each chemical readily accessible to employees on each shift.
Training on initial assignment & when new hazards are introduced.
FIRE SAFETY:
FIRE - A chemical reaction that involves the rapid oxidation of a combustible material or fuel, with the
subsequent liberation of heat and light
FIRE TETRAHEDRON - (1) Fuel, (2) Heat or ignition source, and (3) Oxygen (air)
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (MSDS):
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Product name and identification
Hazardous ingredients
Permissible exposure limit
Physical and chemical data
Health hazard data and carcinogenic
potential
Primary routes of entry
Fire and explosion hazards
Reactivity data Spill and disposal
procedures
PPE recommendations
Handling
Emergency and first aid procedures
Storage and transportation
precautions
Chemical manufacturer’s name,
address, and telephone number
Special information section
Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories
OSHA Lab Standard
SAFETY EQUIPMENTS:
FUME HOODS
CHEMICAL FUME HOODS:
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CONTAIN AND EXPEL NOXIOUS AND HAZARDOUS FUMES
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AS AN ADDED PRECAUTION, PERSONAL AIR MONITORING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHEMICAL HYGIENE PLAN OF THE FACILITY
BIOSAFETY CABINETS:
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BSCs remove particles that may be harmful to the employee who is working with potentially
infectious biologic specimens.
BIOSAFETY CLASS:
TYPES OF HAZARDS
A.Chemical Hazards
B.Biological Hazards
C.Physical Hazards
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Ergonomic Hazards
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Ionizing Radiation
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Non-Ionizing Radiations
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Noise
D. Electrical Hazards
E. Mechanical Hazards
A. CHEMICAL HAZARDS:
I. Flammable/Combustible Chemicals
FLAMMABLE: Flash Point Below 37.8°C (100°F)
COMBUSTIBLE: Flash Point Above 37.8°C (100°F)
II. Corrosive Chemicals
III. Reactive Chemicals
IV. Carcinogenic Chemicals
I.
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Flammable and Combustible Solvents
Acetone
Benzene
Ethanol
Heptane
Isopropanol
Methanol
Toluene
Xylene
Flammable Gases
• Hydrogen
Flammable Solids
• Paraffin
II.
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Corrosive Chemicals
Injurious to the skin or eyes by direct contact or to the tissue of the respiratory and gastrointestinal
tracts if inhaled or ingested
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Acids: (1) Acetic, (2) Sulfuric,
(3) Nitric, (4) Hydrochloric acid
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Bases: (1) Ammonium hydroxide,
(2) Potassium hydroxide, (3) Sodium hydroxide
III.
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Reactive Chemicals
Substances that, under certain conditions, can spontaneously explode or ignite or that evolve heat
or disable or explosive gasses
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Hydrogen is liberated if alkali metals (sodium or potassium) are mixed with water or acids, and
spontaneous combustion also may occur
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Mixture of oxidizing agents, such as peroxides, and reducing agents,such as hydrogen, generates
heat and may be explosive
IV.
Carcinogenic Chemicals
• Substances substances that have been determined to be cancer-causing agent
• Benzidine is a common example of a known carcinogen
STORAGE GUIDELINES
B. BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS:
● Expose an unprotected individual to bacteria, viruses, parasites, or other
biological entities that can result in injury
● Exposure occurs from ingestion, inoculation, tactile contamination, or
inhalation of infectious material from patients or their body fluids/tissues,
supplies or materials they have been in contact with, or contaminated
needles, or by aerosol dispersion.
C. PHYSICAL HAZARDS:
Non Ionizing Radiation:
● A type of electromagnetic radiation that does not carry enough energy to ionize
atoms
Ionizing Radiation
● It is generated through nuclear reactions, by very high temperature, via
production of high energy particles or due to acceleration of charged
particles by electromagnetic fields.
Types of Ionizing Radiation
(1) Cosmic rays
(2) X-rays
(3) Gamma rays
(4) Beta particles
(5) Ultraviolet
Noise
● Anything that has the potential to cause hearing loss
● Exposure to an equivalent sound pressure level of more than 85 dB over an
8-hour period workday
Cumulative Trauma Disorders
● Injuries involving the musculoskeletal and/or nervous system in response to long term repetitive
twisting,bending, lifting, or assuming static postures for an extended period of time
● Constant or excessive repetitive actions, mechanical pressure, vibrations, or compressive forces on
the arms, hands, wrists, neck, or back
● Human error by pushing beyond one's limits or when productivity limits are set too high
I. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - compression and entrapment of nerve from wrist to hand
II. Tendonitis - inflammation of the tendon
III. Tenosynovitis - inflammation or injury to synovial sheath that surrounds a tendon
IV.Bursitis - inflammation of one of the bursa of synovial fluid
V.Primary Contributors for Repetitive Strain Disorders - (1) position or posture; (2) applied force; (3)
frequency of repetition
D. ELECTRICAL HAZARDS:
Associated Hazards
1. Death
2. Shock
3. Burns
4. Fire
5. Explosion
E. MECHANICAL HAZARDS
Sources of hazards
1. Centrifuges
2. Autoclave
3. Homogenizer
4. Glasswares
Compressed Gases Hazards
Associated Hazards
1. Danger of fire
2. Explosion
3. Asphyxiation
4. Mechanical injuries
Cryogenic Material Hazards
Associated Hazards
1. Fire
2. Explosion
3. Asphyxiation
4. Pressure build-up
5. Embrittlement of materials
6. Tissue damage similar to that of thermal burns
WASTE MANAGEMENT
● Collection, transport, processing or disposal, managing and monitoring of waste materials
Four Basic Waste Disposal Techniques:
1. Landfill burial
2. Incineration
3. Flushing down the drain to the sewer system
4. Recycling or resource recovery
Red Yellow Black Green Orange
SAFETY RULES INSIDE THE LABORATORY