CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

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ESSENTIALS OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
be received. An impartial and impersonal attitude must be taken. Trying to fix
blame or find someone to “blame it on” (or giving this impression) can be counterproductive
in gathering meaningful information. Laboratory workers along
with members of the health care team from other departments are often called
on to be a member of the Safety Committee, to provide expertise from a number
of viewpoints as needed. Many companies and facilities have become so savvy
as to accident prevention that they will openly advertise that there have been no
accidents during the past posted number of weeks or during the past number of
thousands of man hours worked.
General Preventive Equipment Maintenance
Schedule and Related Safety Issues
General preventive maintenance on a routine basis not only keeps equipment in
good operating order but also is a means to prevent accidents, such as those that
may result from damaged electrical components. Laboratory professionals and
students of laboratory medicine should follow the manufacturer’s directions for
providing preventive maintenance both to prevent accidents and to avoid breakdowns.
An accident might result in an injury to the worker as well as cause downtime
due to damage to equipment. Sometimes the accident investigation causes
a work stoppage or slowdown while the investigation is ongoing. And lawsuits
may arise because of conditions that led to the accident or incident. Following
directions and being mindful of the potential hazards associated with one’s work
help to avoid a slowdown in work production, which in the health care facility
translates into delays in treatment and efficiency of the facility. All major pieces of
equipment in a medical laboratory will have a posted list of measures to be taken
in cleaning and maintaining the machinery so it does not fail at critical times and
to ensure it produces quality results.
Laboratory Specific Surveys
Certain areas of the laboratory are inspected by any of a number of internal
committees, a local fire marshal, or any accreditation body performing a site
visit. These inspections include, but are not limited to, a survey of safety equipment
(Table 5-5), equipment and supplies for safety of the laboratory personnel
(Table 5-6), and a sharps injury log (Table 5-7). The latter requires a follow-up
for those injured by needle sticks and cuts from glass and equipment, etc.
Documentation of Departmental Surveys and Follow-up
Committees and external agencies will look for certain pieces of safety equipment
and protective clothing when surveying a clinical laboratory. The Infection
Control Committee and Exposure Control Committee will routinely perform
an inventory of available engineered control devices and work practices in the
department. Table 5-5 contains some essential items that will be accounted for
on a routine and recurring basis by perhaps several groups, including institutional
committees and external accrediting agencies.
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