ohsrm PART B
School of Molecular Bioscience
Step 3. Assess the risk
Ref. #
1
Description of the hazard or hazardous job
Working with humans or human tissues
Priority
3
Identification Date
22/3/2010
What makes it hazardous? Consult with the workers to find out which factors are relevant:
X The nature of the
hazard itself
X The individual(s)
Working with human subjects requires care for the physical and psychological wellbeing of both the subjects and the investigator. Special issues are posed by ‘at-risk’
groups, including the very young, the elderly, the disabled, and those with particular
diseases or health conditions (eg. anxiety, diabetes, obesity). Risks due to ethical issues
(eg. anonymity of survey subjects) need to be considered. Working with human tissues
or body fluids involves a risk of infection with microbial pathogens. Viruses such as HIV
and hepatitis B are the main concern in this case.
Requires specific training
involved
Record the names of those consulted when assessing the risk
Peter Kerr, Joe Dimauro, Jenny Phuyal, Zia Ahmad, Angela Nikolic, Robert Czolij, Craig Jackson
Date
22/3/2010
Step 4. Control the risk(s)
Describe the risk control(s)
Who is responsible
Due by
Ensure that proper ethics approval forms have been completed by the
chief investigator, and that ethical procedures are used throughout the
course of the study. The most important considerations are that the
anonymity of human subjects used in scientific research is protected, the
confidentiality of the raw data is ensured, and that written consent of the
subjects is obtained where necessary.
Individual researcher
and their supervisor
21/4/2010
Ensure that the proposed experiments do not pose a risk to the human
subjects involved – this could be a physical risk or a psychological risk.
Different individuals have different capacities to perform tasks eg. the
frail elderly may be put at risk by physical activities that are not
hazardous for a young adult (eg. climbing stairs).
Individual researcher
and their supervisor
21/4/2010
Experiments involving eating or tasting food or being treated with
pharmaceuticals pose a risk of allergic reaction – check for known
allergies in the subjects before starting work
Individual researcher
and their supervisor
21/4/2010
Experiments involving blood sampling pose multiple risks. Risk of subject
fainting should be addressed by giving plenty of fluids prior to sampling,
ensuring subject remains seated in a stable chair during sampling, and
for at least 10 min afterwards. Risk of infection to researcher is
addressed by wearing protective equipment (especially gloves), being
aware of risk of needlestick injuries, and handling ALL blood products as
potential biohazards. Risk of infection to patient from sampling is
addressed by using sterile equipment, good aseptic technique, and
swabbing the sample site with isopropanol or ethanol prior to sampling.
Vaccination of the researcher against blood-borne diseases (eg. hepatitis
B) may be required before starting work.
Individual researcher
and their supervisor
21/4/2010
Any experiments involving human body fluids or tissues involve a
potential risk of infection to the researcher. Wear proper protective
equipment (lab coat, gloves, proper shoes at all times, and safety
glasses if splash/ squirt/ spray incidents are possible). Treat all such
human fluids and tissues as potential biohazards – eg. they must be
disposed of via autoclaving, NOT into regular rubbish bins.
Individual researcher
and their supervisor
21/4/2010
Development of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Safety Committee
21/4/2010
Reading and following the SOP
Individual user and
their supervisor
21/4/2010
Record the names of those consulted when deciding on risk control measures
Peter Kerr, Joe Dimauro, Jenny Phuyal, Zia Ahmad, Angela Nikolic, Robert Czolij, Craig Jackson
PART B completed by: Nick Coleman
Date:
22/3/2010