Introduction to Vet Science
Safety & Sanitation
Objectives
 GOAL 1
 Students will gain an understanding of the types of hazards common in the
veterinary hospital and the organization that regulates safety standards in the
workplace. They will be able to read an MSDS and locate important safety
information within it.
 GOAL 2
 Students will learn how to protect themselves from potential hazards in the
workplace. They will be able to describe the correct methods of protection
given scenarios describing hazardous situations.
 GOAL 3
 Students will investigate the differences between sanitation, disinfection, and
sterilization, and be able to relate which cleaning method should be used in
any given situation.
A Day in the Life
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChFdU1Jqti4&feature
=related
What are some potential hazards
of being a veterinarian?
Get with a partner and create a list of as many
hazards you can think of!
You have 2 minutes….GO! 
Hazards
 Animals
 Bites
 Scratches
 Waste
 Hazardous Chemicals
 X-rays
What organization helps ensure safe
and healthful working conditions?
OSHA
 In order to “assure safe and healthful working conditions for working
men and women”
 Occupational Health and Safety Act
 1970
 Occupational Safety and Health Administration
 Monitor employee safety
 Protect employees from injury
 HCS (Hazard Communication Standard)
 Must label chemicals




Flammable
Corrosive
Poisonous
Provide MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)
MSDS
Material Safety Data
Sheet
Includes 8 sections:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Manufacturer Information
Hazard Ingredients/ Identity Information
Physical/ Chemical Characteristics
Fire and Explosion Hazard Data
Reactivity Data
Health Hazard Data
Precautions for Safe Handling and Use
Control Measures
Types of Safety Hazards
 Physical Hazards
 Chemicals Hazards
 Biological Hazards
 Zoonotic Hazards
Physical Hazards
Animal injuries – bites, kicking, scratches
Back injuries – improperly lifting heavy objects or
animals
Falls on wet floors
Exposure to x-rays
Chemical Hazards
Drugs
Cleaning agents
Insecticides
Anesthetic gases
Many hazardous chemicals are routinely used in veterinary hospitals.
Biological hazards
Living tissue and organisms
Blood
Urine
Live vaccines
Medical waste that has had contact with living
tissue (urine soaked blankets, bandage material,
etc.)
Needles and scalpels “Sharps”
Zoonotic hazards
Viruses
Rabies (Hydrophobia)
Sleeping Sickness
(Encephalitis)
Bacteria
Cat Scratch Fever
Leptospirosis
Salmonellosis
Brucellosis
Anthrax
Tuberculosis
Parasites
Sarcoptic mange
Toxoplasmosis
Visceral Larva Migrans
(Toxocariasis)
Creeping Eruption
(Ancylostomiasis)
Fungus
Ringworm
Activity #1
Analysis of MSDS Sheet
Safety signs & equipment
Danger
Dosimeter
Radioactive
Biohazard
Wet Floor
Lead Gloves
Back Brace
Lead Apron
Safety & Sanitation
TM15
Handling and Restraint
 Most injuries animal related
 Bitten or kicked
 Knowing proper handling & restraint methods help reduce
injuries
 Practice on healthy & docile animals
Practice Common Cat Restraints
Drug Use and Safety
 Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act
 Passed in 1970
 Regulates manufacture and distribution of drugs
 Places drugs into one of five schedules
 Kept locked
 Only approved people have access
Drug Fedules
Schedule I: no medical use – high abuse
Heroin, Methaqualone, LSD, Peyote, Psilocybin, Marijuana, Hashish, Hash Oil,
amphetamine variants.
Schedule II: accepted medical use – high abuse
Dilaudid, Demerol, Methadone, Cocaine, PCP, Morphine, and cannabis,
amphetamine and barbiturate types.
Schedule III: accepted medical use – medium abuse
Opium, Vicodan, Tylenol w/codine, and narcotic, amphetamine and
barbiturate types.
Schedule IV: accepted medical use – low abuse
Darvocet, Xanax, Valium, Halcyon, Ambien, Ativan, barbiturate types.
Schedule V: accepted medical use – very low abuse
Lomotil, Phenergan, liquid suspensions.
20
Safety & Sanitation
TM
What is sanitation?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkajGwaKtUc
Sanitation
 Process of keeping something free of any elements that
would endanger health
 Several methods used
 Cleaning
 Disinfecting
 Sterilizing
 Antiseptics
Types of Sanitation
Cleaning –physically removing all visible signs of dirt and
organic matter such as feces, blood, hair, etc.
Disinfecting –destroying most microorganisms on
nonliving things by physical or chemical means
Sterilizing – destroying ALL microorganisms and viruses
on an object using chemicals and/or heat under pressure
Antiseptics – solutions that destroy microorganisms or
inhibit their growth on living tissue
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Safety & Sanitation
TM
Commonly Used
chemicals
Alcohols – ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol
Aldehydes – gluteraldehyde, formaldehyde
Chlorine – bleach
Iodine and Iodophors – Betadine, iodine
Quaternary ammonias – Centrimide, Quatsyl-D
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Safety & Sanitation
TM
Methods of Sanitation
Physical cleaning – using a
chemical with a mop or sponge
Cold sterilization – soaking
items in a disinfectant chemical
until they are used
Dry heat – incinerating an
object or exposing it to flame
Radiation – using ultraviolet
or gamma rays
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Filtration – removing particles
from the air using a physical
barrier
Ultrasound – passing high
frequency sound waves through
a solution to create a vibration
that scrubs an object to remove
debris
Autoclave – a sealed chamber
in which objects are exposed to
heat and steam under pressure
Safety & Sanitation
TM