Ch 1 Lab Safety Flashcards
Laboratory policies aim to provide:
A safe and healthful environment for everyone
First priority when handling infectious materials
Safety
Needles are not to be:
Recapped, bent, cut, broken, removed from syringes, or otherwise manipulated by hand
Clean spills:
Promptly and properly
Clean and decontaminate all surfaces exposed to blood and body fluids with an appropriate:
Germicide
Inform _______ of all accidents, exposures to unsafe conditions
Chain of command
An infection control strategy designed to reduce the risk of disease transmission
Universal Precautions
Introduced by the CDC in response to the HIV epidemic in 1985
Universal precautions
All blood and other potentially infectious materials are treated as if infected with blood borne pathogens, including:
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
HIV
Should be used at all times for all tasks where exposure to blood or body fluids may occur
Personal protective barriers
Publishes guidelines that most agencies have adopted
CDC
Universal precautions apply to:
Blood
Tissue
Semen
Universal precautions do not apply to:
Feces
Nasal secretions
Sputum
Sweat
Tears
Urine or vomit (unless they contain blood)
Specialized clothing or equipment worn by a person to protect against a hazard
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
What must be done to PPE prior to leaving the work area?
PPE must be removed
Hands must be washed
Worn when the person’s hands are abraded, or active dermatitis is present
Gloves
Disposable gloves are usually:
Latex or Vinyl with appropriate size
Replace gloves when:
The ability to function as a barrier is compromised
Worn when a procedure has the ability to generate splashes of potentially infectious substances or hazardous chemicals
Gowns
Eye protection
Goggles must have:
Solid side shields
Face shields must be:
Chin length
DoD Instruction 6440.2
Clinical laboratory Improvement Program (CLIP)
In the U.S. Department of Labor and responsible for developing and enforcing workplace safety and health regulations
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
OSHA was created by:
Occupationally Safety and Health Act of 1970
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was created by:
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is an agency established to help assure “safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by providing RESEARCH, information EDUCATION, and TRAINING in the field of occupational safety and health”
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
NIOSH’s responsibilities include:
Code of Federal Regulations
An annually revised compendium of all federal laws of the United States published in the Federal Register
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Has regulations pertaining to the transportation of Hazardous waste, and if violated there are fines and penalties
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Each State has their own:
Occupational Safety and Health Regulations
Department of Health and Human Services & Medical Waste Management Program
Protects workers and the public from safety hazards by enforcing occupational and public safety laws
Occupational Safety and Health regulations
State programs that regulate the generation, handling, storage, treatment, and disposal of medical waste by providing oversight for the implantation of the Medical Waste Management Act
Department of Health and Human Services & Medical Waste Management Program
Non-Fixed MTFs with laboratory capabilities must maintain:
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Program (CLIP) Certification
Allows the testing of clinical samples for utilization in diagnosing patients
CLIP certification
CLIP Inspection occurs every:
2 years
CLIP inspections can be performed by:
Medical Laboratory Officer OR Appointed Laboratory Technician from the Area of Responsibility (AOR)
CLIP inspection
Records must be maintained to include the following:
Quality control on samples, test kits and analyzers
Log of refrigerator and freezer temperatures
Maintenance logs for equipment maintained by Biomed
Ships should request what prior to a Medical Readiness Inspection to help become compliant
Technical Assist visit from the AOR’s hospital
The Navy’s version of OSHA
NAVOSH
BUMEDINST 6280.1
Management of Infectious Waste
NEVEDTRA 14295 Chapter for Laboratory
19
An agreement between a host nation and military forces
SOFA
Medical waste that does not contain enough pathogen to be harmful is treated as general waste
Non-infectious waste
Disposable products like diapers and used tissue paper
-Containing very small amounts of blood or other bodily fluids
Disposable products like bedpans, urinary catheters, NG tubing, which are emptied of contents that are NOT bloody
Containers rinsed-free of regulated body fluids
Non-infectious waste
Liquid or solid waste containing potential pathogens in sufficient numbers and virulence to cause disease in susceptible hosts exposed to the waste
Infectious (Regulated) waste
Regulated body fluids
Blood
Pleural
Amniotic
Synovial
Peritoneal
Pericardial
CSF
Semen
Dialysate
How can you dispose of regulated body fluids?
Flushed in the toilet or the hopper
Objects or devices that have acute rigid corners, edges, or protuberances capable of cutting or piercing
Sharps
Sharps can include
Needles
Blades
Slides
Coverslips
Contaminated broken glassware/plastic ware
Segregate waste at:
Point of Origin
Placed in standard trashcans and discard via regular trash procedures
General, normal or non-infectious waste
Placed in orange biohazard bags
Infectious/Regulated Waste
Biohazard bags are emptied:
Daily
How are biohazard bags tied?
Double bagged, Goose-necked, secured with heavy tape
Biohazard bags must be labeled with:
Name
Address
Phone number
Sharps are placed in a:
Rigid, Puncture-resistant, leak proof container
The sharps container must have what sign or what color?
Biohazard sign or be red in color
Sharps containers must be labeled with:
Name
Address
Phone number
Date opened and closed on outside with indelible marker
The sharps container is taken out of service after:
90 days
3/4 Full
Foul Odor detected
Infectious waste storage should be labeled with:
Biohazard and Authorized Personnel Only signs
Storage room should be near:
Treatment or transport site and lockable
Limit infectious waste storage to:
7 days
Disposal of infectious waste Ashore, comply with:
Local, state, federal, and/or Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA)
Disposal ashore should be packaged, treated, and labeled.
Monitoring system to include:
Date
Time
Amount
Type
Disposition
One of the following criteria must be met for overboard discharge:
Endangers health or safety
Creates unacceptable nuisance
Compromise of combat readiness
What conditions must be met for overboard discharge?
CO’s Approval
> 50 nautical miles from shore
Negatively buoyant
Entries made into ship’s deck log and medical journal
Overboard discharge
Entries made in the ship’s deck log and medical journal must include:
Date
Time
Ship’s location
Number of bags
What should you do with unused medical supplies?
Handled, stored, and disposed of as infectious
Recycled
Materials needed for decontamination procedures
Gloves
Gown/lab coat
Goggles/face shields
Absorbent material (spill kit)
EPA disinfectant (Vesphene or 10% Bleach)
Spill involved broken glass
- Contain spill with absorbent material
2. Mechanical means to dispose of glass
