Safety CH 4 Flashcards
Safety
◦ What agencies are involved?
- College of American Pathologists
- Occupational Safety and Health administration
- Center for Disease Control
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Many Others
College of American Pathologists
- Accredidation for Colleges, Universities, and Laboratories
- Guidelines for specimen handling
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA)
- “to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working
men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by
providing training, outreach, education and assistance.” - Bloodborne Pathogen Plan (1993)
- Ergonomic Standards 2001 (repealed)
- OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (Right to know)
- 29 CFR 1910.1450 Lab Standard
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
- Universal Precautions
- TB infection control recommendations
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Handling waste
- Disposing waste
PPE- Personal Protective Equipment
- EXTREMELY important
- Includes everything used to protect lab technologist from harm in the lab
- Gloves, Goggles, Apron, Lab Coat, Closed Toe Shoes, Face Mask
3 Types of Safety Hazards
1.) Biological or Infections Hazards
2.) Mechanical Hazards
3.) Chemical Hazards
Biological or Infectious Hazards
◦ What does it mean to be infectious?
A substance that contains enough pathogens to cause a disease
Biological or Infectious Hazards
1.) Blood Borne Pathogen Standard (OSHA)
2.) Universal Precautions (CDC 2008)
1.) Blood Borne Pathogen Standard (OSHA)
- 1989, took effect in 1993.
- Blood and body fluids
2.) Universal Precautions (CDC 2008)
- Treat EVERYTHING as if it is infectious
- Protect yourself
Biological or Infectious Hazards
1.) What diseases are of primary concern?
2.) What areas in the histopathology lab are
of primary concern?
1.) Tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B and C, Creutzfeld Jacob Disease
2.) Frozen Sections, autopsy, surgical grossing, waste disposal
Biological or Infectious Hazards
◦ Tuberculosis Exposure (OSHA 1910.134)
- CDC has a TB Infection Program
- CAP documented control program
- Airborne Control
- Detection
- Treatment
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis*
Biological or Infectious Hazards
1.) Cryogenic Sprays
2.) HIV, Hepatitis B and C
1.) Cryogenic Sprays
- Increase risk of exposure
- Avoid using when possible
2.) HIV, Hepatitis B and C
- Hepatitis B vaccination
- Unfixed tissue
- Open wounds/cuts/scrapes
- Universal Precautions
Biological or Infectious Hazards
◦ Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD)
- Prion affecting white matter of brain
- Very dangerous
- Proper Fixation
- Waste disposal
- Autoclaving
Chemical Hazards
- Can present physical or health problems
- “Right to know” law
- OSHA 1910.1450 Lab Standard
- Chemical Hygiene Plan
*Practices to minimize exposure
Biological or Infectious Hazards
◦ Handling tissue waste
- Biohazard bags
- Sharps Containers
- Broken Glass containers
Mechanical Hazards
◦ What consists of a mechanical hazard?
- Sharp Instruments (OSHA BBP)
- Microtome Blades, Razors, Scalpels, Needles
- Glass
- Electrical hazards
Mechanical Hazards
◦ Ergonomics
- Workplace design
- Muskuloskeletal Disorders
Carpal Tunnel, Trigger Finger, Tendonitis - CAP regulation
Chemical Hazards
◦ Toxic Dose Low
◦ Toxic Concentration Low
◦ Lethal Dose
◦ Toxic Dose Low
- Lowest dose to produce toxic effect
◦ Toxic Concentration Low
- Lowest concentration to produce toxic effect
◦ Lethal Dose
- LD50: dose of exposure that would kill 50% of experimental population
Chemical Hazards
◦ Formaldehyde Standard (OSHA 1910.1048, 1992)
Permissible Exposure Limits (Time Weighted Action, action levels)
- 8 Hour time period: 0.75ppm (TWA)
- 0.5 part formaldehyde per million parts of air (0.5 ppm)
Short Term Exposure Limit
- 15m for 4x a day
- 15m time period: 2.0ppm
- Repeated every 6 months IF exposure limits are not exceeded
Chemical Hazards
◦ Carcinogens
◦ Corrosive
◦ Fire and Explosive
◦ Reproductive, Mutagens, Teratogens
◦ Carcinogens
- Increase risk of cancer
- Formaldehyde, chromic acid, pararosaniline,
benzidine based dyes
◦ Corrosive
- Acids by definition
◦ Fire and Explosive
- Picric Acid, Ammoniacal Silver, hydrocarbons, alcohols
◦ Reproductive, Mutagens, Teratogens
Fire Classes
◦ Class A: combustible materials. Wood, paper, plastics. *Extinguished using water
based solutions
◦ Class B: flammable liquids and gases.
*Need to be “squelched” of oxygen to be extinguished
◦ Class C: electrical fires.
*Must be
extinguished with nonconductive media
◦ Class D: combustible and reactive reagents/metals.
◦ Chemical Spills
◦ Chemical Storage
◦ Chemical Disposal
◦ Chemical Spills
- Spill Kits Available
◦ Chemical Storage
- Fire: 1 gallon per 100 square feet
- Inside Safety Cabinets: 2 gallons per 100 square feet
◦ Chemical Disposal
- EPA regulates
Lowering Amount of Hazardous Waste
- Acquisition contraints
*Purchasing less in smaller amounts - Process changes
*Substitute less hazardous material - Recovery
*silver - Recycling
*Distillation of xylene, alcohol, formalin - Redistribution
Hazard Identification
◦ MSDS
◦ NFPA Diamond
◦ MSDS
- Right to Know Act
- Readily available
- Must include ALL chemicals in lab
◦ NFPA Diamond
- Blue- health
- Red- flammability
- Yellow- reactivity
- White- special symbol
