CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

CHAPTER 5: LABORATORY SAFETY 91
of a fume hood (Figure 5-1), the design of which
may differ depending on the circumstances of
use. Students and workers should be trained on
the use of this protective device as well as in the
use of respirators when working with both hazardous
chemicals and certain organisms that are
highly contagious. The biological component
of safety known as biohazards will be covered
separately from the chemical and physical components
of safety (see Chapter 6, “Introduction
to Infection Control”). Many safety components
for physical hazards are mandated by building
codes and safety equipment is required by state
and local law, which has done a great deal to
decrease the number of accidents.
FIGURE 5-1 Fume hood used for toxic hazards found in the laboratory.
Source: Delmar/Cengage Learning.
Facility Safety Plan
Although the facility’s safety plan addresses the entire institution,
some of the laboratory accreditation bodies that perform
site visits in the medical laboratory will also inspect safety components
of the laboratory only for safety hazards. There will be
some overlap between agencies that routinely inspect for similar
violations of safety rules. Commonly, a medical laboratory
safety and exposure plan is adopted with input from a Safety
Committee, and in the hospital setting, the Infection Control
Committee or Exposure Control Committee will have a great
deal of input into the policies and procedures. These committees
are highly formal in nature and are an integral part of the
administrative team that is involved in fulfilling the regulations
imposed by state and federal agencies as well as accrediting organizations.
Safety is typically a part of a committee that is separate from the Infection
Control Committee, although many of the functions overlap and there is a
great deal of cooperation between the two major committees. Both committees
monitor activities that are facility-wide, since biohazardous materials are
found throughout many areas of the hospital. The Safety Committee monitors
occupational risks that extend to patients and visitors as well as risks found
on the grounds of the facility. When biohazardous materials or toxic chemicals
are stored or used in the facility, the affected areas are required to be
clearly identified by the Safety Committee with signs warning of the presence
of these materials with the potential to harm those who come in contact with
them (Figures 5-2 and 5-3).
The laboratory department is often used as a vital adjunct to the Infection
Control Committee or Exposure Control Committee. Environmental sampling
may be done on a periodic basis to determine if decontamination and general cleaning
of the equipment and the physical building itself are adequate. Environmental
surveillance in general, where bacterial cultures were taken from work surfaces,
Safety Alert
Types of Hazards Faced in a Clinical
Laboratory
• Bloodborne pathogens
• Airborne pathogens
• Injuries from broken glass and sharp
devices
• Toxic chemicals
• Poor physical design of building
• Electrical hazards
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