Laboratory Safety
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Public Law 91-596 was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1970 Main goal: provide all employees with a safe work environment
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
-authorized to conduct on-site inspections to determine whether an employer is complying with the mandatory standards
Occupational safety and Health Administration
OSHA standards that regulate safety in the laboratory include the following:
Bloodborne Pathogen Standard Formaldehyde Standard Laboratory Standard Hazard Communication Standard Respiratory Standard Air Contaminants Standard Personal Protective Equipment Standard.
• applies to all exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials in any occupational setting -Universal Precaution and PPE -mandates the development of an exposure control plan -decontamination and safe handling of specimen -requirement for HBV vaccination
Bloodborne Pathogen Standard
-Toxic and Hazardous Substances regulations -to ensure that the hazards of all chemicals used in the workplace have been -evaluated and that this hazard information is successfully transmitted to employers and their employees
Hazard Communication Standard
Biological Hazards
Source Host Transmission
Hand washing Biohazardous waste disposal Decontamination Specimen bagging
Source
Standard precaution, Immunization, Healthy lifestyle, Exposure control plan, Post exposure prophylaxis
Host
Hand washing Personal protective equipment, Aerosol prevention, Sterile/disposable equipment, Pest control
Transmission
Universal precaution
-Instituted by CDC (1987) -all patients are considered to be possible carriers of blood-borne pathogens -recommends wearing gloves when collecting or handling blood and body fluids contaminated with blood -wearing face shields when there is danger of blood splashing on mucous membranes -disposing all needles and sharp objects in puncture-resistant containers. -CDC excluded urine and body fluids not visibly contaminated by blood from UP, although many specimens can contain a considerable amount of blood before it becomes visible. -The modification of UP for body substance isolation (BSI) helped to alleviate this concern. -BSI guidelines are not limited to blood-borne pathogens; they consider all body fluids and moist body substances to be potentially infectious.
BSI guidelines
-personnel should wear gloves at all times when encountering moist body substances. -A major disadvantage of BSI guidelines are that they do not recommend handwashing following removal of gloves unless visual contamination is present.
Standard Precautions
-Handwashing -Gloves -Mask, eye protection, and face shield -Gown -Patient care equipment -Environmental control -Linen -Occupational health and blood-borne pathogens -Patient placement
OSHA published the new Hazard Communication Standard
CHEMICAL SAFETY Hazard Communication (Right to Know Law)
To comply with the regulation, clinical laboratories must:
-Plan and implement a written hazard communication program -Obtain material safety data sheets (MSDS) -Educate all employees -Maintain hazard warning labels on containers received or filled on site.
major source of safety information for employees who may use hazardous materials
Material Safety Data Sheet
Material Safety Data Sheet
-Hazardous ingredients -Permissible exposure limit (PEL) -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
-to address the shortcomings of the Hazard Communication Standard -requires the appointment of a chemical hygiene officer and the development of a chemical hygiene plan
OSHA Laboratory Standard
-Procedures describing how to protect employees against teratogens, carcinogens, and other toxic chemicals must be described in the plan. -Must detail engineering controls, PPE, safe work practices, and administrative controls, including provisions for medical surveillance and consultation, when necessary
chemical hygiene plan
Other Organizations/Law Concerned with LAB SAFETY
-Clean Water Act -Resource Conservation and Recovery Act -Toxic Substances Control Act -The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) provides excellent general and infection control guidelines in their documents -The Joint Commission (TJC) -College of American Pathologists (CAP) -National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Health Hazard Blue Diamond
4- Deadly 3- Extreme Danger 2- Hazardous 1- Slightly Hazardous 0- Normal Material
Fire Hazard Red Diamond
Flash point 4- Below 73°F 3- Below 100°F 2- Above 100°F not exceeding 200°F 1- Above 200°F 0- Will not burn
Specific Hazard White Diamond
ACID- acid ALK- Alkali COR- Corrosive OXY- Oxidizer ☢- Radioactive W- Use No Water
Reactivity Yellow Diamond
4- May Detonate 3- Shock and Heat may detonate 2- Violent Chemical Change 1- Unstable if Heated 0- Stable
Republic Act 9003
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (Republic Act 9003) by DENR