CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

CHAPTER 5: LABORATORY SAFETY 93
them if they are on the floor. Heavy-duty and highquality
power strips are acceptable but should be
checked by the maintenance department to ensure
they can handle the amount of current needed to
operate the equipment plugged into them. When
work is performed on a piece of electrical equipment,
the item should be disconnected before any
disassembly begins. If a wire becomes warm to the
touch, it is a danger signal.
Fires
Fires in high-occupancy facilities can be devastating
in the number and level of injuries they cause.
In past years of laboratory practice, Bunsen burners
were commonly used for a number of procedures,
particularly in microbiology laboratories. These
burners are seldom seen in a modern medical laboratory,
so fires have become a relatively minor risk
in the laboratory. Open flame devices have largely
been replaced by slide warmers. Disposable loops
FIGURE 5-4 Frayed power cords create a danger of shock and fire.
Source: Delmar/Cengage Learning.
and needles are used more often today, lessening
or eliminating the need for bacterial incinerators
to sterilize loops and needles, and hotplates and microwaves are used instead of
open flames for heating materials. The potential for fires starting in the laboratory
have lessened drastically over the past few
decades.
Special cabinets for flammable materials
should be properly labeled and should be used
to store chemicals away from heat sources. Some
chemicals will ignite at relatively low temperatures,
so this is a requirement that will draw attention
during safety inspections. Even if a fire occurs
near the cabinet, the contents will be protected for
some time until workers are able to escape.
Fire escape routes and evacuation plans must
be conspicuously posted throughout educational
and medical buildings (Figure 5-5). Routes of
evacuation should be clearly visible, and batteryoperated
exit signs that remain lighted during
emergencies should be present.
Categories of Fires
Fires of various kinds erupt because of and in
close proximity to materials that may cause the
production of toxic fumes; such fumes may also
FIGURE 5-5 Escape route for fires and emergency evacuation plans
must be conspicuously posted.
Source: Delmar/Cengage Learning.
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