Chapter 1 Flashcards
A general state of physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Health
Condition in which the physical well-being of people is protected.
Safety
Protection of employees and organizational facilities.
Security
Importance of Health and Safety in the Workplace
The elimination, or at least minimization, of health and safety hazards and risks is the moral as well as the legal responsibility of employers.
Ill health and injuries inflicted or caused by the system of work or working conditions cause suffering and loss to individuals and their dependents.
Accidents and absences through ill-health or injuries result in losses and damage for the organization.
A thing that is dangerous or causes damage.
Hazard
Anything that has the potential to cause harm or adverse effects to individuals, environment or property
Hazard
Types of Safety Hazard
Chemical
Biological
Physical
Mechanical
Electrical
Arises from the exposure of chemical substances
Chemical Hazard
Types of chemicals that causes hazard
Toxic substances
Corrosive substances
Flammable/explosive substances
Reactive substances
can cause disease or infection
Biological Hazard
biological hazards examples
Pathogen
Biological Toxins
allergens
Physical Hazards
Radiation
Noise
Temperature extreme
vibration
exposure to ionizing or non-ionizing radiation
Radiation
associated with machinery, equipment, and tools that can cause physical injuries, particularly from moving parts or improper operation
Mechanical Hazards
examples of Mechanical Hazards
Pinch points or crush injuries from moving machinery parts like conveyor belts or gears.
Injuries from cutting tools, such as scalpels or saws, leading to lacerations or amputations.
the misuse or faulty installation of electrical equipment, wiring, or devices
Electrical Hazard
Electrical Hazards
Electric shock
Electric fire
Electrocution
Electrical Hazards Precautions
Avoid water and fluid contact
Do not operate equipment with wet hands
Observe for frayed cords, overloads; report
Unplug and dry wet equipment
Equipment grounded with three-prong plugs
refers to an unplanned and often preventable event that results in injury, illness, property damage, or exposure to hazardous materials
Unplanned and unexpected events
Accident
Characteristics of Accidents
Unintentional
Preventable
Varied outcomes
Needs immediate response
Causes of Accidents
Improperly guarded equipment
Defective equipment
Hazardous conditions
Unsafe storage
Improper illumination
Improper ventilation
Examples of Accidents
Chemical spill
Sharps Injuries
Fire and Explosion Accidents
classification of chemical spill
Minor spill
Major spill
Minor spills characteristics
- Small volume (usually less than 1 liter).
- Involves non-toxic, non-corrosive, or low-hazard chemicals.
- Does not pose significant health risks if handled properly.
- No immediate danger of fire, explosion, or exposure to hazardous fumes.
Minor spills response
Alert: Notify others in the vicinity of the spill.
Wear PPE: Put on gloves, lab coat, and goggles to prevent exposure.
Contain: Use absorbent materials or spill pads to contain the spill.
Clean: Use the spill kit to clean up the spill, following appropriate procedures for chemical disposal.
Dispose: Place contaminated materials in designated hazardous waste containers
Major spills Characteristics
Large volume (greater than 1 liter) or high toxicity.
Involves highly toxic, corrosive, flammable, or reactive chemicals.
Potential for fire, explosion, or release of harmful fumes.
Poses an immediate threat to the health of laboratory personnel or the environment
Major spills Response
Evacuate: Evacuate the immediate area and notify all personnel.
Alert Authorities: Contact the lab supervisor, safety officer, or emergency responders.
Isolate the Area: Close off the spill area to prevent further contamination.
Ventilation: If the spill involves volatile chemicals, increase ventilation (if safe) or evacuate to prevent inhalation of toxic fumes.
Wait for Professional Cleanup: Allow trained personnel or HAZMAT) team to clean up the spill safely
minor spill - size
small volume (typically <1 liter)
major spill - size
large volume (typically >1 liter)
Minor spill - Hazard Level
Low risk, minimal health threat
Major spill - hazard level
high risk, significant health and safety threat
Minor spill - Response
Can be cleaned by trained lab personnel
Major spill - Response
Requires evacuation and professional cleanup
Examples of Minor spill
small spills of non-toxic chemicals
Examples of Major Spill
Large spills of toxic, corrosive, or flammable substances
Minor Spill - Immediate Danger
Minimal
Major Spill - Immediate Danger
Potential for fire, explosion, or exposure
Common Causes of Chemical Spills:
Human Error
Equipment Failure
Container damage
Natural Disaster
Prevention of Chemical Spills:
Proper Storage: Store chemicals in compatible containers with clear labeling. Separate incompatible chemicals.
Training: Ensure all personnel are trained in safe chemical handling, storage, and spill response procedures.
Spill Kits: Keep spill kits readily available, containing absorbents, neutralizing agents, and protective gear.
Regular Inspections: Check containers and storage areas for leaks or damage.
Follow Protocols: Adhere to the lab’s chemical handling and disposal procedures.
is an essential safety resource designed to manage and clean up hazardous chemical spills efficiently and safely. In a clinical laboratory, having_________ readily accessible is crucial for preventing injuries, contamination, and environmental hazards following an accidental spill.
spill kits
The purpose of the__________ is to ensure that research faculty, staff, and students who handle hazardous chemicals have the proper training and safety protections required by law.
Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)
The CHP is a written policy that sets forth engineering controls, administrative controls, work practices, and personal protective equipment that:
1) are intended to protect individuals from the physical and health hazards presented by hazardous chemical use in laboratories and research
2) meet the requirements of OSHA’s standard on Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories.
Written plan required by OSHA includes:
- Standard operating procedures
- Criteria to determine and implement control measures
- Employee training
- Chemical hygiene officer required
the process of providing clear, accurate, and consistent information on the labels of chemical containers.
Chemical Labeling
It was created to quickly alert emergency personnel to the risks associated with hazardous chemicals
NFPA hazard identification label
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
- OSHA requirement: employee’s right to know
- Proper handling and emergency measures associated with the chemicals
- Must have file available
- Vendors supply but facility is responsible to collect and maintain file
MSDS Information
Physical and chemical characteristics
Fire and explosion potential
Reactivity potential
Health hazards
Emergency first aid
Safe handling and disposal methods
GENERAL RULES FOR CHEMICAL SAFETY
- Always wear proper protective clothing—including lab coat, apron, gloves, and safety goggles—when working with chemicals.
- Always use proper chemical cleanup materials when cleaning up chemical spills.
- Never store chemicals above eye level.
- Never add water to acid.
- Never indiscriminately mix chemicals together.
- Never store chemicals in unlabeled containers.
- Never pour chemicals into dirty containers, especially containers previously used to store other chemicals.
- Never use chemicals in ways other than their intended use.
an injury caused by sharp objects:
Needles
Lancets
Broken glassware
Sharp Injuries
Response to Sharp Injury:
Immediate Action:
Wash the wound with soap and water.
Encourage the wound to bleed gently but do not scrub the injury.
Apply an antiseptic and cover the wound with a clean dressing.
Report the Incident: Report the injury immediately to a supervisor or designated authority within the healthcare setting.
Medical Evaluation: Seek medical evaluation to assess the risk of infection and determine if post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is needed, particularly for bloodborne pathogens.
Follow-Up: Regular follow-up testing may be necessary to monitor for any signs of infection.
The NFPA code word for the order of action in the event of fire
R - Rescue
A - Alarm
C - Contain
E - Extinguish
occur with ordinary combustible materials, such as wood, papers, or clothing, and require water or water-based solutions to cool or quench the fire to extinguish it.
Class A fires
occur with flammable liquids and vapors, such as paint, oil, grease, or gasoline, and require blocking the source of oxygen or smothering the fuel to extinguish.
Class B fires
occur with electrical equipment and require nonconducting agents to extinguish.
Class C Fires
occur with combustible or reactive metals, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and lithium, and require dry powder agents or sand to extinguish (they are the most difficult fires to control and frequently lead to explosions).
Class D Fires
occur with high-temperature cooking oils, grease, or fats and require agents that prevent splashing and cool the fire as well as smother it.
Class K fires
Water Extinguishers (Class A)
Color: Red
Used for: Fires involving solid materials like wood, paper, textiles, and plastics (Class A fires).
How it works: Cools the fire by soaking the material and lowering its temperature.
Not for use on: Electrical fires, flammable liquids, or metal fires.
Foam Extinguishers (Class A and B)
Color: Cream label
Used for: Fires involving solid materials (Class A) and flammable liquids (Class B), such as petrol, diesel, and oil.
How it works: Forms a blanket over the burning liquid, cutting off the oxygen supply and preventing re-ignition.
Not for use on: Electrical fires unless it’s a specially rated extinguisher.
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Extinguishers (Class B and Electrical)
Color: Black label
Used for: Fires involving flammable liquids (Class B) and electrical equipment.
How it works: Displaces oxygen, which smothers the fire and cools the burning material.
Not for use on: Class A fires, as it does not have a cooling effect, and can lead to re-ignition.
Dry Chemical Extinguishers (Class A, B, C, and Electrical)
Color: Blue label
Used for: A wide variety of fires, including solids (Class A), flammable liquids (Class B), flammable gases (Class C), and electrical fires.
How it works: Coats the fire with a fine powder that separates the fuel from oxygen.
Not for use in confined spaces: The powder can reduce visibility and may cause breathing problems.
Wet Chemical Extinguishers (Class F)
Color: Yellow label
Used for: Fires involving cooking oils and fats, typically in kitchen settings (Class F).
How it works: Forms a foam layer on the burning oil or fat, cutting off oxygen and cooling the fire.
Not for use on: Electrical fires or flammable liquids.
Specialist Extinguishers (Class D)
Used for: Fires involving combustible metals like magnesium, aluminum, and lithium.
How it works: The extinguisher uses a specialist powder to extinguish metal fires by smothering them.
Not for use on: Fires involving other types of fuel, as it is specifically designed for metal fires.
Fire Extinguisher Operation
Pull pin
Aim at base of fire
Squeeze handles
Sweep nozzle side to side
Are plans for preventing sickness and injury to personnel and damage or destruction of physical assets.
Laboratory Safety Plan
Fundamental Objectives of Laboratory Safety Plan
- To improve safety skills and attitude of all personnel
- To develop a surveillance program for promptly identifying hazards
- To formulate plans for promptly correcting all hazards
- To coordinate laboratory safety efforts with the overall
Hazards represent potential risks that, if not managed, can lead to accidents.
A. Hazards as Precursors to Accidents
A laboratory with poor ventilation (a hazard) increases the risk of an accident involving the buildup of flammable gases, leading to an explosion.
Hazards as Precursors to Accidents
Accidents often occur when safety measures fail or are not implemented correctly.
Accidents as Consequences of Uncontrolled Hazards
For instance, a chemical spill might result from improper storage or handling of chemicals.
Accidents as Consequences of Uncontrolled Hazards
occurs when harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites invade the body, multiply, and cause disease or damage to the tissues.
Infection
This can be a bacteria, virus, parasites or prions. Any organism is capable of causing infection if all the links/components are present.
Infectious Agent
A reservoir is the place where an infectious agent lives and reproduces in such a manner that it can be transmitted. Infectious agents can live in or on people, animals, insects, soil or water.
Reservoir
Path by which infectious agent leaves the reservoir.
Portal of Exit
Portal of Exit examples
excretions and secretions
non‐ intact skin (e.g., draining wounds)
respiratory tract (e.g., sneezing, coughing, talking)
gastrointestinal tract (e.g., vomiting, diarrhea, stool)
mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth, vagina
is how the pathogen moves from place to place
Mode of Transmission
is the most common route of transmission of organisms in health care settings.
Contact Transmission
refers to large droplets that are generated from the respiratory tract of infected individual during coughing, sneezing or laughing or during such procedures as suctioning.
Droplet Transmission
occurs when an individual with an organism/disease that is transmitted by the airborne route expels the organism from their respiratory tract by coughing, laughing, singing and sneezing.
Airborne Transmission
The point where the infectious agent enters a new host lace.
Portal of Entry
examples of Portal of Entry
- non‐intact skin (e.g., broken skin such as bed sores or wounds coming in contact with contaminated material)
- respiratory tract
- gastrointestinal tract (e.g., eating contaminated food)
- mucous membranes (e.g., eyes, nose or mouth exposures with infectious agents)
Thesusceptible hostis the person who may become infected.
Susceptible Host
Factors that increase the risk of susceptibility are:
- age (either very young or very old)
underlying medical conditions e.g. diabetes
treatments or invasive devices
poor nutrition/general health
burns
surgery
immunosuppression
Breaking the Chain - Infectious Agent
- antimicrobial therapy
- cleaning, disinfection, sterilization
- hand hygiene
Breaking the Chain - Reservoir
- environmental cleaning/disinfection
- waste management
- proper food storage
- water treatment
- engineering controls
Break the Chain - Portal of Exit
- Hand hygiene
- Disposal of waste and contaminated linen
- Control of excretions and secretions (cover wounds, cover coughs and sneezes)
Break the Chain - Mode of Transmission
-Spatial separation
- Engineering controls
- Hand hygiene
- Environmental sanitation
- Equipment disinfection/sterilization
- PPE
Break the Chain - Portal of Entry
- Hand Hygiene
- Aseptic Technique
- Wound care, Catheter care
- PPE
Break the Chain - Susceptible host
- Immunization
- Nutrition
- Recognition of high-risk of individuals
- Treatment
- 1987, blood-borne pathogens (HIV, HBV)
- Gloves and face shields with visibly bloody specimens
- Puncture-resistant containers
Universal Precautions
Standard Precautions
Handwashing
Gloves
Mask, Eye Protection, Face Shield
Gown
Patient-care equipment
Environmental Control
Linen
Blood-borne pathogens
Patient Placement
Occupational Exposure to Blood-borne Pathogens Standard (Monitored and enforced by OSHA)
- All employees practice UP and SP
- Employer provides gowns, coats, face and respiratory protection, gloves and laundry facilities for non-disposables
- Provides sharps disposal, prohibits needle recapping
- Prohibits eating, drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics in work area
- Label all hazardous materials
- Provide free immunization for HBV
- Establish daily disinfectant protocol
- Household bleach 1:10
- Provide medical follow-up for workers exposed to blood-borne pathogens
10.Document regular employee safety training
Post-exposure Prophylaxis
- Report accident immediately to supervisor
- Testing must be done immediately
You and the patient - HIV exposure prophylaxis must start within 24 hours
not a substitute for hand washing
Gloves
types of gloves
sterile and nonsterile, powdered and nonpowered, latex and nonlatex
Dry, itchy rash on hands
delayed reaction
Facial flushing , breathing difficulty
immediate reaction
- Protect skin and clothing
- Completely buttoned, gloves pulled over wrist cuffs
- Wear when working with specimens, remove when leaving lab
- Change when visibly soiled
- Discard disposable as biohazardous waste and nondisposable in designated laundry bins
fluid-Resistant Labcoats
Goggles, full-face plastic shields, Plexiglas countertop shields
Splashes and aerosols caused by uncapping, pouring, transferring, and centrifuging
Never centrifuge uncapped specimens
Face protection
Disinfect exterior
Request new specimen as per protocol
Contaminated specimen container exteriors
Most health care-associated infections are preventable through good hand hygiene – cleaning hands at the right times and in the right way.
The WHO Guidelines on hand hygiene in health care support hand hygiene promotion and improvement in health care facilities worldwide.
Hand Hygiene
World Hand Hygiene Day
May 5
Disposal of Biological Waste
- Specimens and contact materials
- Waste containers have biohazard symbol
- Containers disposed of per protocol
- Urine can be poured down the sink, no splashes
- Containers go in nonbiohazardous waste
- Flush sink with water
- Daily 1:5 or 1:10 sodium hypochlorite flush
- Also use on counter tops
- Store protected from light
Waste Disposal - Treatment
Incineration
Chemical disinfection
Autoclaving
Encapsulation
Microwave irradiation
Waste Disposal - Final Disposal
Landfill
Burying inside premises
Discharge into sewer
5S
- Sort : making things cleaned up.
- Set on order : organize, identify and arrange everything in a workplace.
- Shine : regular cleaning and maintenance
- Standardize : make it easy to maintain
- Sustain : maintaining what has been accomplished
