LAB SAFETY Flashcards
Safety policies mandated by
CDC- Center for Disease Control and
Prevention
OSHA- Occupational Safety and Health
Administration
CLSI- Clinical and Laboratory Standards
Institute (provides the guidelines for lab. procedures
and policies)
Type of Safety Hazard
Biologic, sharps, chemical, radioactive, electrical, fire/explosive, physical
Understand how microorganisms are transmitted
chain of infection
prevents or stops the spread of infections in
healthcare settings
infection control
components of chain of infection
- infectious agent
- reservoir
- portal of exit
- means of transmission
- portal of entry
- susceptible host
bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses
infectious agent
location of potentially harmful organisms
reservoir
mucous membranes of nose, mouth, and eyes,
and in blood or other body fluids.
portal of exit/entry
means of transmission
- Direct contact
- Airborne
- Droplet
- Vehicle
- Vector
patient during invasive procedures, visitors, and healthcare
personnel when exposed to infectious specimens
-immunocompromised patients, newborns and infants, and elderly
susceptible host
instituted by CDC
-patients are considered carriers of blood-borne pathogens
-recommends wearing of gloves and wearing of face shields
-excluded urine and body fluids not visibly contaminated by blood
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS
not limited to blood-borne pathogens but also consider all body
fluids and moist body substances to be potentially infectious.
Body substance isolation
new guidelines by CDC and HICPAC (Healthcare Infection Control
Practices Advisory Committee) which combined the features of UP
and BSI guidelines.
“STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
standard precautions
- Hand hygiene
- Gloves
- Mouth, nose, and eye protection
- Gown
- Patient care equipment
- Environmental control
- Linen
- Occupational health and blood-borne pathogens
- Patient placement
- Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette
OSHA Standard Requirements
■ Engineering Controls
■ Engineering Controls
1. Providing sharps disposal containers and needles with safety
devices.
2. Requiring discarding of needles with the safety device activated
and holder attached.
3. Labeling all biohazardous materials and containers.
OSHA Standard Requirements
■ Work Practice Controls
- Requiring all employees to practice Standard Precautions and
documenting training on an annual basis. - Prohibiting eating, drinking, smoking, and applying cosmetics in
the work area. - Establishing a daily work surface disinfection protocol.
OSHA Standard Requirements
■ Personal Protective Equipment
- Providing laboratory coats, gowns, face shields, and gloves to
employees and laundry facilities for nondisposable protective
clothing.
OSHA Standard Requirements
■ Medical
- Providing immunization for the hepatitis B virus free of charge.
- Providing medical follow-up employees who have been
accidentally exposed to blood-borne pathogens.
Types of PPE
full face headcap, 95 GSM suit, face mask, lab gown, gloves, googles, shoe cover
Hand Hygiene must be done…
Hand Hygiene
Laboratory personnel must always sanitize hands…
1. Before patient contact
2. After gloves are removed
3. Before leaving the work area
4. When hands have been knowingly contaminated
5. Before going to designated break areas
6. Before and after using bathroom facilities
Biologic waste (except urine) must be placed …
in appropriate
containers labeled with biohazard symbol.
Decontaminated following institutional policy:
- Incineration
- Autoclaving
- Pickup by a certified hazardous waste company
Urine may be discarded by
pouring it into a laboratory sink under
a Plexiglas countertop shield.
Disinfection of the sink using ______dilution of ________ should be performed daily.
1:5/1:10, sodium hypochlorite
Empty urine containers can be discarded as
nonbiologically
hazardous waste.
