CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

CHAPTER 5: LABORATORY SAFETY 103
on the floor or a transport cart containing equipment or supplies
may strike a suddenly opened door. A good example of falls in
a hospital occurred when an outside housekeeping and cleaning
company received a contract to maintain the floors of a hospital.
The company, to save money, used a less expensive floor wax
that was not nonskid. Within 1 hour of the application of this
new wax, two visitors fell and broke their arms and a phlebotomist
rounded a corner and slipped to the floor, breaking all of the
blood collection tubes in his tray. The phlebotomist also injured
his elbow, which required further medical attention over a considerable
period of time. Two lawsuits arose from the condition
of the floors in a single day. Needless to say, the type of wax used
on the floor was changed immediately.
Four other terms related to safe operations are to be
considered:
1. An injury is the result of an accident (a nonintentional act)
and may be of varying severity and type. Examples of the consequences
of an injury would include a cut on the skin of the
limbs or other parts of the body, a crushing foot injury, broken
bones, or a damaged eye. Most accidents can be avoided, but
unfortunately, a string of accidents is often required before preventive
action is taken. However, organizations that investigate
laboratories for safety violations will often reduce the number
of accidents that were historically high in a facility.
2. The primary cause is the condition or act that caused the
accident. A pool of liquid spilled on the floor or slippery wax
may be the cause. Recurring incidents are usually remedied
by changing a procedure and requiring additional professional
training by the institution of learning or the medical
facility. Preventing accidents by safe operations through
observation and planning is the responsibility of everyone.
Unsafe acts or conditions should be reported and acted on
quickly.
3. Secondary causes are other acts or conditions that contributed
to the accident. These include the reasons a spill on
the floor had not been cleaned up. Additionally, the spill may
have been caused by a leaking plumbing system or a leaking
roof or window. Often it is difficult to separate the primary
from the secondary cause. But this should not hinder
an accident investigation, because all causes should be listed.
The important thing is to detect and correct all of the defects
or unsafe conditions by determining what department or
what individual is responsible for monitoring the area, and
adjusting schedules or possibly hiring additional personnel
to ensure the important tasks are being performed in a timely
manner.
Safety Alert
Student Safety Responsibility
Students of clinical laboratory programs
have an equal responsibility for contributing
to and observing safety requirements
to protect themselves and others.
• Practice good safety habits and attitudes
through actual training and
practice in the clinical facility and the
laboratory classroom.
• Develop a sense of responsibility for your
own safety and the safety of others.
• Observe and evaluate potential hazards
in educational work that will be required
in future careers, and learn to practice
the appropriate prevention measures.
• Do not let your guard down, and never
forget to follow the safety rules and
regulations.
• Report hazards that may exist in the
classroom, laboratory, or clinical site
to the proper authority.
• Report any defective supplies, services,
or equipment to the instructor or training
preceptor.
• Only perform hazardous procedures
after receiving instructions on how to
safely and properly perform the work.
• Wear the appropriate personal protective
equipment wherever there
is potential danger or hazards in the
classroom lab or work environment.
• Always report all accidents to the instructor
regardless of nature or severity.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding
of the safety rules and
regulations of the school and the
instructional program.
• Participate in training programs in the
clinical site pertinent to the performance
of procedures.
Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.