CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

98
ESSENTIALS OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
FIGURE 5-13 Wearing of appropriate PPE when cleaning a biological
spill.
Source: Delmar/Cengage Learning.
Inherent Safety Risks in
Medical Laboratories
Since laboratories inherently are involved with
blood and body fluids that are likely to communicate
diseases to others, a formal approach
to cleanliness and disposal of sharps and biohazardous
materials is practiced in the laboratory.
The medical laboratory may also have
flammables and compressed gases that pose a
safety risk. Tanks of compressed gases must be
anchored so they will not fall; this will be regulated
by many agencies that perform site visits.
A tank of compressed gas (Figure 5-14) that
falls with a broken valve may be propelled in
the manner of a rocket and has been known to
penetrate a reinforced concrete wall.
Because exposure to hazards in the medical
laboratory is an ongoing risk, checklists are
sometimes maintained in departments of the
laboratory, and records are kept of scheduled
activities designed to eliminate or reduce occurrences
of injury to or infection of the workers.
Supervisory observation and check sheets
are often used to minimize rates of hospitalacquired
infections, provide remedies for areas
of increased danger, and prevent the occurrence
of injuries.
FIGURE 5-14 Compressed
gas cylinder.
Source: Delmar/
Cengage Learning.
Responsibility for Safety Information
Federal laws from the 1970s and 1980s, along with those from many states,
have been enacted to protect workers and patients through strict safety codes.
Instructors, students, and clinical supervisors have joint responsibility for being
aware of, enforcing, and observing these rules and regulations. Documentation
of materials covered and of orientation and safety training in the proper procedures
to be followed are based on formal regulations. Many of these requirements
are monitored and compliance is documented in the workplace by the
Safety Committee, which may go by other names in various facilities. Training
and educational facilities are also required to provide a safe work environment
and to have available the proper tools for practicing safety.
OSHA monitors adherence to its guidelines and its inspectors may appear
uninvited and unannounced to survey conditions in a facility and to determine if
any violations are obvious. Following an accident or incident, OSHA also investigates
the incident and files a report, and administers fines and sanctions against
the supervisors and managers of the facility.
Laboratory procedure manuals should have safety practice components
built into each procedure. These procedures should be written in a manner that
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