CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

CHAPTER 5: LABORATORY SAFETY 109
Table 5-8 Fire, Inclement Weather, and Terrorist Threat Response Procedures
Threat
FIRE EVACUATION
In the event of a fire:
TORNADO EVACUATION
In the event of a tornado:
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
In the event of a medical
emergency:
HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL
EMERGENCY
In the event of a hazardous
chemical emergency:
TERRORIST THREATS
In the event of a terrorist
threat:
Description
A continuous pulsing ring of the fire alarm system will indicate a fi re emergency. Immediately evacuate
work areas or the health care facility by prearranged exits. Evacuation routes are posted, and a rally
at a predetermined point outside the building will be established when orienting new employees. A
verbal command from an administrator to the faculty and staff will indicate the all clear signal.
A verbal warning will indicate a tornado evacuation emergency. Proceed to an inner hallway of
the designated building, away from exterior doors and windows. A verbal command from the
administration to the administrative, designated professional, or support staff will indicate an all clear
signal when the danger is past.
If a life-threatening accident or event occurs to any person that would require fi rst aid, immediately
dial 9 for an outside line if necessary and then “911” on any telephone readily available. Render
assistance to the injured person and keep him from endangering himself further. Stay with the injured
person until help arrives. Notify the administrative, designated professional, or support staff, or
clinical preceptor of an incident immediately.
Notify the administrative, designated professional, or support staff, or the instructor that you are using a
chemical for your lab exercise. Consult the appropriate MSDS prior to using any chemicals, except when
an instructor has oriented the entire class as to the dangers of and precautions for a given chemical. If
a spill occurs, notify the administrative, designated professional, or support staff, or your instructor, or
clinical preceptor immediately. Keep all personnel away from spill until it has been addressed by the
appropriate personnel such as housekeeping. A spill kit is available in the medical laboratory to absorb
and neutralize possible hazardous materials. Obtain an MSDS for the chemical spilled and ensure proper
action has been taken. Evacuation may be required at the discretion of the administrator or instructor.
Handling chemicals is usually included as a part of continuing education and staff development and
must be documented in the students’ and medical workers’ fi les.
Help from the local police and fi re departments and Homeland Security and FEMA personnel will arrive
quickly. Identification of organisms or toxins, or the disposal of bombs by a specially trained team with
dogs to sniff out hidden threats, will likely occur. There will still be a need for medical personnel to
treat victims of such an attack while maintaining personal safety.
or facility-wide basis as a requirement of various accreditation agencies as well as
local fire departments and emergency management planning. Exits and fire safety
documents will be completed by survey of the facilities (see Table 5-4).
Emergency situations involving fire, severe weather alerts and warnings,
release of toxic chemicals, and mass casualties require prior training and preparation
for an actual event. The headings and instructions in Table 5-8 provide
examples of actions to take in an actual emergency. Policies at various educational
and health care facilities differ slightly but all generally address the
same basic topics. And with the potential for terrorist activities, many facilities
also have plans for bomb threats and actual explosions that occur, which might
release biohazardous organisms or biochemical toxins.
Summary
Safety is the business of everyone, not only in a health care facility but also
in one’s personal life and one’s occupation. The various safety considerations
for a health care facility include biohazardous and toxic hazards and apply to
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