Clinical Laboratory Management - 2nd Edition Flashcards
numerous potential hazards in the laboratory
chemical, biological, physical, and radioactive hazards, as well as musculoskeletal stresses
fires and electrical accidents
laboratory instruments and equipment may cause injury to the user
contain
inherent risk to workers that is often difficult to measure and manage because
safety is not an intrinsic, absolute, and measurable property (
Laboratory
Elements of a safety management plan
Administrative support
Risk assessment
Training
Plan review and record keeping
The laboratory contains numerous hazards that fall into
four general classes:
biological, chemical, physical, and radiological.
is any material, condition, or action
that may result in physical harm or impairment to employees.
Hazard
Biological hazards include infectious agents such as
bacteria
parasites
fungi
viruses
cause the majority of laboratory-
acquired infections
bacteria
Chemical hazards include all chemicals that may be toxic
or irritating and include solids, liquids, and gases such as
mercury,
acetone,
xylene,
stains,
formaldehyde
Physical hazards abound in the laboratory and include
such things as
ergonomic issues
fire
electrical hazards
noise levels
equipment accidents
UV light exposure
compressed gases
The risk associated with handling hazardous material
should be assessed, and an exposure control plan should
be implemented.
Risk assessment
protect the wearer from exposure to po-
tentially infectious material and other hazardous material
and are available in materials designed for specific tasks.
gloves
hould
be used when splashes or sprays of infectious material
or chemicals may occur.
face and eye protection
Laboratory workers should wear this when there is a potential
for splashing or spraying, the material must be fluid resistant.
protective clothing
are those that involve making
changes to the work environment to reduce work-related
hazards.
engineering controls
are procedures for safe and proper work that are used to reduce the duration, frequency, or intensity of exposure to a hazard.
Work practices
are available to prevent inhalation of
chemical dust or fumes and infectious aerosols. The type of mask used depends on the specific hazard.
Respiratory protection
are designed to provide a universal policy to alert visitors and employees to potential
laboratory hazards and hazardous areas in the laboratory.
Warning signs and levels
should be used when there is risk of
exposure to hazardous fumes or splashes while preparing
or dispensing chemical solutions.
Chemical fume hoods
destroy all microorganisms, but
not necessarily their spores, on inanimate surfaces.
Disinfectants
agents that kill all microbial life, including spores,
on inanimate surfaces.
Sterilants
a procedure that eliminates or reduces microbial or toxic agents to a safe level with respect to the transmission of infection or other adverse effects.
Decontamination
A system of respirable particles dispersed in a gas,
smoke, or fog that can be retained in the lungs
Aerosol
The spread of infection by inhalation of droplet nuclei containing an infectious agent.
Airborne Transmission
Pathogenic microorganisms that are
present in human blood and can cause disease in humans
Blood-borne pathogens
Substance capable of causing a malignant tumor in
humans or animals.
Carcinogen
The airborne concentration of a substance that
cannot be exceeded at any time during the workday.
Ceiling limit
Describes the presence or reasonably anticipated
presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials on an
item or surface
Contaminated
Any substance that causes visible destruction of hu-
man tissue at the site of contact. T
Corrosive
A procedure that eliminates or reduces microbial or toxic agents to a safe level with respect to the transmission of infection or other adverse effects.
Decontamination
An agent intended to destroy or irreversibly inactivate all microorganisms, but not necessarily their spores, on inanimate surfaces, e.g., work surfaces or medical devices
Disinfectant
A procedure that kills pathogenic microorganisms
but not necessarily their spores.
Disinfection
Controls (e.g., sharps disposal containers,
self-sheathing needles, safer medical devices) that isolate or re-
move the hazard from the workplace.
Engineering Controls
A general term for an agent that kills pathogenic microorganisms on inanimate surfaces
Germicide
Waste containing or assumed to contain pathogens of sufficient virulence and quantity that exposure to the waste
by a susceptible host may result in a communicable disease
Infectious waste
A trade organization of the commercial airline industry that governs international aviation and publishes Dangerous Goods Regulations for
use by anyone who packs, ships, or handles dangerous goods
International Air Transport Association (AITA)
Specialized clothing or
equipment worn by an employee for protection against a hazard.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
iquid or semiliquid blood or OPIMs, con-
taminated items that would release blood or OPIMs in a liquid or
semiliquid state if compressed, items that are caked with dried
blood or OPIMs and are capable of releasing these materials dur-
ing handling, contaminated sharps, and pathological and micro-
biological wastes containing blood or OPIMs.
Regulated Waste
Set of precautions applied to all patients;
designed to reduce risk of transmission of microorganisms in the
healthcare setting.
Standard precautions
An agent intended to destroy all microorganisms (vi-
ruses, vegetative bacteria, fungi, and a large number of highly
resistant bacterial endospores) on inanimate surfaces.
Sterilant
A procedure that effectively kills all microbial life,
including bacterial spores, on inanimate surfaces.
Sterilization
Set of precautions designed to reduce the
risk of transmission of HIV, HBV, and other blood-borne patho-
gens in the healthcare setting.
Universal precautions
Category Shipment details
Shipper information
consignee information
name and telephone number of person responsible
orientation label (on opposing sides)
Proper shipping name and UN number
Hazard Label
Quantity (only required when shipping with dry ice)
