CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

92
ESSENTIALS OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
drinking fountains, equipment, and other areas,
was at one time prevalent but is no longer
required by accrediting agencies. However, surveillance
is performed on select surfaces and
equipment, particularly if there is a dramatic
increase in the number of certain bacterial infections,
such as those from methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an organism
that is prevalent in health care facilities today.
Outbreaks of nosocomial (hospital-acquired)
infections are also investigated by the laboratory
for the Infection Control Committee. Regarding
the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing,
the medical staff, headed by the chief of staff,
receives a report of data compiled by the laboratory
as to the judicious and effective use of antibiotics.
Reports from housekeeping, the dietary
department, and other areas pertaining to unsafe
FIGURE 5-2 Examples of symbols and signs warning of potential or biohazardous conditions are reported to the
hazards that may cause injury.
Infection Control Committee, which often uses
Source: Delmar/Cengage Learning.
the laboratory’s expertise in addressing the problems.
Most often there is a representative on the
Infection Control Committee from the medical laboratory. Infection control, exposure
control, and safety are difficult to separate from each other, and demand a
cooperative and combined effort from all areas to be effective. But the laboratory
is a key component in completing surveillance to determine if indeed a problem
exists and in providing a solution to many of the problems related to infection.
FIGURE 5-3 Universal biohazard sign.
Source: Delmar/Cengage Learning.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards may be described as ordinary man-made equipment
and its surroundings. Many physical hazards exist in the laboratory and
include, but are not limited to, open flames from Bunsen burners, electrical
equipment, laboratory instruments with moving parts, glassware, and
tanks of gases.
Electricity is a versatile opponent. The electricity itself may provide
a fatal shock, or it may cause movement in a piece of equipment or heat
some part of an instrument that may cause a severe burn. All electrical
equipment should be grounded, and all outlets should be constructed as
double-fault outlets that shut off the flow of electricity if a short occurs
in the electrical current pathway. This is required in the building codes
in many locales in the United States. Frayed cords or any other exposed
electrical wire should not be allowed (Figure 5-4). Overloaded circuits
may cause equipment failure or even a fire, so careful attention must be
paid to having an adequate number of outlets to support the activity in
the area. Extension cords should only be for temporary use as they are
dangerous in a number of ways, including the possibility of tripping over
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