LESSON 14

FUNCTIONS AND
PROCEDURES PERFORMEED
BY A LABORATORY
ASSISTANT/AIDE
ASSIGNED TO THE TESTING AREAS
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, the students must be able to:

1. state the functions of a laboratory assistant/aide assigned to the laboratory

testing areas;

2. discuss the correct procedure in washing laboratory glassware/ instruments

after use;

3. explain the proper way of sterilizing and storing clean glassware/ instruments;

4. illustrate the proper cleaning and maintenance procedure of laboratory work

areas;

5. enumerate the components of the laboratory waste management plan; and

6. discuss the proper handling of laboratory-accumulated waste materials.

LEARNING GUIDE
Learning Guide
INFORMATION SHEET 14.0
The Functions of a Laboratory Assistant/ Aide Assigned
to the Testing Areas
Laboratory assistants have job assignments that vary from one
institution to another. They may be assigned to the reception area as
receptionists. Some are assigned to the testing areas as a laboratory aide.

The functions of a laboratory aide also vary from one institution to another.

His/Her functions may include but not limited to washing of laboratory

glassware and instruments, cleaning laboratory workbenches, helping
in mixing chemical solutions, preparing and segregating laboratory-
accumulated waste materials for disposal, and cleaning and restocking
the laboratory supplies. He/She also operates autoclaves to sterilize
instruments and glassware in addition to maintaining the cleanliness of the
laboratory equipment and the laboratory in general.
Washing Laboratory Glassware
Laboratory glassware should be clean, sterile, and grease-free to ensure the
quality of the laboratory results. It must not be just physically clean but should also be
chemically clean. It should be inspected thoroughly, dried in a drying oven at 150
°C, capped using an aluminum foil, and finally placed in a closet cabinet for storage.

Removing Grease
1. Boil the glassware in a weak solution of sodium carbonate, acetone, or any fat
solvent.

2. For silicone grease, soak the stopcock plug or barrel in warm

decahydronaphthalene for two (2) hours.

3. Drain, rinse with acetone, or use fuming sulfuric acid for 30 minutes.

4. Rinse off all of the cleaning agents.

Washing Laboratory Glassware

Rinsing
1. Glassware – rinse the glassware using running tap water. Rinse with distilled water
or use a large bath of distilled water.

2. Test tubes, graduated cylinders, and flasks – allow the tap water to run into and
over them. Then, partly fill each piece with water, shake, and empty for about six (6)
times.

3. Pipets – attach a piece of rubbing tubing to the faucet, then connect the delivery end
to a hose to allow water to run through them.
Washing Laboratory Glassware

Culture Tubes
1. Autoclave for 30 minutes at 121 °C (15 p.s.i. pressure).
2. If there are media that solidify upon cooling, pour them out while the tubes are still
hot.
3. Empty the tubes.
4. Brush with detergent and water.
5. Rinse with tap water thoroughly.
6. Rinse using distilled water.
7. Place the tubes in a basket and let them dry.
8. Do not plug until the medium is added when preparing culture tubes that are to be
filled with a medium (sterilized by autoclaving). Sterilize both the medium and
the culture tubes with one autoclaving.
9. On the other hand, plug and sterilize the culture tubes in the autoclave before adding
the medium if the culture tubes are to be filled with a sterile medium.
Washing Laboratory Glassware

Dishes and Culture Bottles

1. Sterilize and clean following the procedure for cleaning culture tubes.

2. Wrap them in heavy paper or place them in a petri dish can.

3. Sterilize the dishes and culture bottles using the autoclave or a dry-air sterilizer.
Washing Laboratory Glassware
Pipets
1. Place pipets with tips down in a cylinder or tall jar of water immediately after use.
2. Do not drop them into the jar because the tips may break or chip.
3. Place a pad of cotton or glass wool at the bottom of the jar to avoid breaking the tips.
4. Make sure that the water level is high enough to immerse most if not the whole pipet.
5. Drain and place in a cylinder or jar of dissolved detergent. Soak in a jar of
chromic acid cleaning solution if exceptionally dirty.
6. After soaking, drain them. Run tap water over and through the pipets until you are
sure that all traces of dirt are removed.
7. Soak the pipets in distilled water for at least one hour.
8. Remove them from the distilled water.
9. Rinse and dry the outside portion using a cloth.
10. Shake the water out of the pipets and let them dry.
Sterilizing and Storing Clean Glassware
✓ Laboratory glassware such as serology tube and culture
media may be contaminated with blood clots and need to be
sterilized before a thorough cleaning.
✓ The glassware could be placed in a large bucket or boiler. Add
1%–2% soap or detergent before letting it boil for 30 minutes.
✓ It is then rinsed with tap water, scrubbed with detergent, and
rinsed once again.
✓ An autoclave, large steam oven, or a similar equipment can be
used to sterilize the glassware.
Sterilizing and Storing Clean Glassware
• Test tubes, culture tubes, flasks, and other laboratory wares are
dried by hanging them on wooden pegs.
• They could be air-dried by placing them in baskets with mouths
downward or simply dried using an oven with drying
temperatures below 140 °C.
• To ensure that the vessel mouth is clean, the drying basket
should be lined with a clean cloth. On the other hand, pipets and
cylinders are dried by standing them on a folded towel.
Sterilizing and Storing Clean Glassware

• Clean glassware pieces are protected from dust by plugging

them with cotton, corking, or merely placing a heavy piece of
paper over the mouth and sealing them with tape before placing
them in a dust-free cabinet.
• They can also be stored in specially designed racks making sure
that the pieces remain separate to avoid breakage.
Alkaline liquids should not be stored in flasks because the
stoppers or stopcocks may stick.
Sterilizing and Storing Clean Glassware
Additional precautions are listed to ensure that pieces of glassware are clean but also
free from damage and contaminants:

1. Always examine the glassware for damage and discard any cracked or broken
glassware in the proper disposal container.

2. Clean and remove any residue including all tapes and labels.

3. Use automatic cleaning apparatuses like laboratory washing machine, automated

pipette, burette washers, etc., if available.

4. Autoclave contaminated glassware to sterilize.

5. Air-dry, the glassware if it will not be used immediately. However, hot air drying racks
can be used to accelerate the drying process.

6. Store the glassware in the proper place after drying.

Cleaning and Maintenance Procedure of the Laboratory
Work Areas
All the staff members in the laboratory have the
responsibility to maintain a clean environment to reduce the risk of
infection and cross-contamination that can happen during the
specimen handling. However, bulk of the cleaning task is
usually assigned to the laboratory aide.

The surfaces and all pieces of equipment within the

laboratory should be cleaned regularly and should comply with the
operating procedures devised by the institution. The laboratory
aide must document the cleaning and maintenance
activities done using a laboratory logbook.
Cleaning and Maintenance Procedure of the Laboratory
Work Areas
Listed are some guidelines that should be considered and implemented in the
maintenance of the general laboratory work areas:

1. Floors should be clutter-free. There must be no objects or spilled materials on the

floor.
2. Materials should be returned to their designated places after use.
3. The laboratory exit floor plan should have two clear passageways.
4. Safety showers, eyewashes, fire extinguishers, and electrical control boxes should be
accessible and strategically placed.
5. Sink traps and floor drains should be maintained and filled with water to avoid sewer
gases from escaping the laboratories.
6. Bench apparatus should be placed away from any edges.
7. The cleaning of the laboratory working area should be scheduled upon completion of
tests or at the end of the working day.
8. Bench tops and liners are kept free from visible contamination.
9. Spills should be cleaned immediately to prevent slips, trips, and falls.
10. Doors and drawers are kept closed and passageways should be free from
obstructions.
Cleaning and Maintenance Procedure of the Laboratory
Work Areas
The laboratory area should have its own set of cleaning materials stored in this
section which include the following: 12% Lysol (phenolic disinfectant or other suitable
mycobactericidal disinfectant), 3.5% sodium hypochlorite solution or household
bleach, spray bottles, personal protective equipment (gowns/laboratory
coats/masks/gloves), broom, mop, and bucket.
There should be fresh cleaning reagents which are prepared on a daily basis.
These reagents should not be stored in diluted form and should be labeled properly
(name and date of preparation).
• 1 % sodium hypochlorite solution—for daily cleaning.
Add 10 mL of sodium hypochlorite solution to 1000 mL of water.
• 70% ethanol
To produce 1 liter, take 700 mL of absolute ethanol and add 300 mL of distilled
water.
• Lysol (5% phenolic solution)
1 liter of 5% Lysol is produced by adding 450 mL 12% Lysol to 550 mL of
distilled water.
Cleaning and Maintenance Procedure of the Laboratory
Work Areas
For the daily cleaning procedure: Fresh cleaning solutions should be prepared;
the PPE should be worn when cleaning the area; pieces of equipment are cleaned
according to the corresponding SOP; materials that prevent thorough cleaning are
removed; and 5% Lysol solution is poured and spread on the work surface with paper
towel. Weekly cleaning of the work area should include:

• Using soap solution followed by 5% Lysol solution to clean outer surfaces of the
cupboards, laboratory trolleys, sinks, and chairs.

• Cleaning the ultrasonic water bath using hypochlorite (bleach) solution and refilling
with fresh distilled water.

• Cleaning the racks and tubes on a weekly basis by immersing them in 5% Lysol and
allowing them to air-dry.

• The racks for the molecular testing are cleaned after use by immersing them in 1%
sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solution.
The Laboratory Waste Management Plan

The laboratory generates waste materials during specimen handling and testing.
Proper management and disposal of these waste materials should be implemented to
minimize the potential risk of exposure to chemical, radioactive, and biological hazards. A
waste management plan must be developed and the laboratory aide must be among
those trained by the institution to take part in the implementation of the waste
management plan. The waste management component usually includes the following:

1. Types of wastes that are expected to be generated in the laboratory

2. Responsibilities of the laboratory personnel
3. Management authorization (signatures)
4. Accumulation of wastes for disposal
5. Identification and inspection of waste storage areas
6. Waste classification and segregation
7. Record-keeping
8. Decontamination materials (storage of unused and spent decontamination materials)
9. Publicly-owned treatment works (POTW) disposal
10. Permits and reporting requirements
11. Waste neutralization requirements
12. Waste storage
The Laboratory Waste Management Plan
13. Satellite requirements
14. Storage accumulation and date requirements
15. Primary containment
16. Waste shipment
17. Federal and state regulations
18. Waste container packaging and labeling
19. Arranging for shipment and preparation of shipment papers
20. Packaging requirements
21. Disposal options
22. Landfill (land-ban restrictions, acceptable wastes, packing requirements)
23. Incineration (acceptable wastes, packing requirements)
24. Health and safety for storage and transportation areas
25. Training requirements
26. Personal protective equipment (PPE)
27. Exposure monitoring
28. Plan implementation
29. Information accessibility by staff
30. Laboratory accountability
31. Audits
32. Record-keeping requirements
33. Requirement for review and updates (e.g., at least annually)
The Laboratory Waste Management Plan
The waste management plan should not only focus on minimizing the potential hazardous
risk but also consider minimizing the impact of the disposal of waste materials on the environment
by following these four tiers of strategic hierarchy:

1. Green chemistry – pollution prevention and source reduction

2. Reuse, redistribute, and reduce – reuse unwanted materials, redistribute surplus chemicals, and
reduce hazards

3. Recycle – recycling chemicals and recover energy from waste

4. Environmental fate of the waste – incineration, land disposal, and other treatment methods

All laboratory personnel including the laboratory aide should have the knowledge to
identify and label chemicals and waste containers in the laboratory completely. They should also
have proper orientation and regular updates on the waste management procedure being
implemented in the laboratory.
Proper Handling of Laboratory-accumulated Waste
Materials
No laboratory activity should begin without a clear plan for the disposal of
hazardous and non-hazardous materials. A satellite accumulation which serves as a
temporary storage for waste in the laboratory should be designated, maintained, and
controlled by a competent laboratory personnel.
Waste materials have different categories and corresponding safety precautions
and follow an appropriate disposal method. Listed below are good practices and basic
requirements for the accumulation of waste in the designated location of generation in
the laboratory:
• Collect hazardous or flammable waste solvents in containers pending transfer or
disposal.
• Do not mix incompatible waste to avoid occurrence of heat generation, gas evolution,
or other reactions.
• Always segregate wastes according to how they will be managed.
• Always observe the compatibility of containers and the waste contents. Always keep
containers closed.
Proper Handling of Laboratory-accumulated Waste
Materials
• Do not use galvanized steel safety can for halogenated waste solvents to avoid
corrosion and leaks.
• Label the waste containers with their contents clearly and properly.
• Cap the waste containers after use. Immediately reclose the container if a funnel is
used and remember not to use the same funnel for containers with incompatible
waste materials.
• Separately collect aqueous wastes from organic solvent wastes. Collect them in a
container that is resistant to corrosion if they are for non-sewer disposal. Be cautious
and do not use glass if there is danger of freezing.
• Place solid chemical wastes in a labeled container prior to disposal. Unwanted
reagents are recommended to be used, shared, or recycled rather than disposed.
However, should these reagents be disposed, they should be segregated in their
original containers, which are intact and legible.
• Dispose non-hazardous solid wastes using the laboratory trash or segregate them for
recycling. Check the toxicity and consult the institutional policy before disposal.
Proper Handling of Laboratory-accumulated Waste
Materials
When disposing empty containers, remove the labels and empty the
contents prior to recycling or disposal to regular normal trash. Rinse the container
properly if necessary. Follow the set laboratory guidelines for disposing empty containers
for non-hazardous and non-regulated laboratory chemicals.

The primary consideration of waste disposal is always safety. It must be ensured

that laboratory wastes are stored in containers which are properly labeled and
strategically placed in locations that do not interfere with the normal
laboratory traffic. Secondary containment devices such as trays are used for spills and
leakages from any primary container.

It is recommended that laboratory waste materials in the satellite accumulation

should not be kept for more than a year. The amount of waste exceeding the 55-gal
(or 1-qt) limit should be managed accordingly within 3 days.
Philippine Health Care Waste Management Program
The Department of Health (DOH) launched the
Health Care Waste Management Program to provide
guidelines to government and private hospitals and other
facilities licensed by the Bureau of Health Facilities and
Services (BHFS) on the proper collection, storage,
segregation, transportation, and disposal.

The waste management manual recommends

sorting waste into color-coded plastic bags or containers.
The color-coding scheme is shown in the following table: