PMLS 6: LABORATORY SAFETY
LAB SAFETY • Appropriate signs to identify hazards are critical
• Lab safety is considered a legal responsibility of
the employer as well as moral obligation to the
employee.
• Achieved through the application of common
sense, a safety-focused attitude, good personal
behavior, good housekeeping in all laboratory
work and storage areas, and above all, the
continual practice of good laboratory technique
• Begins with RECOGNITION OF HAZARDS:
- Electric shock
- Toxic vapors
- Compressed gases
- Flammable liquids
- Radioactive materials Corrosive substances
Mechanical trauma
- Poisons
- Biological materials
SAFETY AWARENESS FOR CLINICAL LABORATORY
PERSONNEL
Safety Responsibilities:
EMPLOYER’S ▪ Establish laboratory work methods
RESPONSIBILITES and safety policies.
▪ Provide supervision and guidance to
employees.
▪ Provide safety information, training,
seminars, personal protective
equipment, and medical surveillance
to employees
▪ Provide and maintain equipment and
laboratory facilities that are
adequate for the tasks required.
EMPLOYEE’S ▪ Know and comply with the
RESPONSIBILITY established laboratory work safety
methods
▪ Have a positive attitude toward
supervisors, coworkers, facilities,
and safety training
▪ Give prompt notification of unsafe
conditions or practices to the
immediate supervisor and ensure
that unsafe conditions and practices
are corrected
▪ Engage in the conduct of safe work
practices and use of the personal.
protective equipment
Signage and Labeling
• Manufacturer's provide precautionary labeling
information for users:
- Statement of the hazard
- Precautionary measures
- Specific hazard class
- First aid instructions for internal/external
contact
- Storage code
- Safety code
- Personal protective gear and equipment
needed
• In-house prepared reagents and solutions should be
labeled in a standard manner with the chemical
identity, concentration, hazard warning, special
handling, storage conditions, date prepared,
expiration date (if application), and preparer's
initials
• In handling such reagents and solution one should
wear protective gear and equipment’s such as: hand
gloves and eye goggles
THE LAW AND SCIENCE OF LABORATORY SAFETY
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA)
• Implemented the "Occupational Safety and Health
Act of 1970"
- the act governs safety in all types of workplaces
including laboratories
• OSHA requirements with the greatest day-to-day
impact for laboratories are the following:
✓ Recording and reporting workplace accidents,
injuries, or illnesses
✓ Hazard Communication Standard
specifying how workers must be made aware of
hazardous materials in the workplace
✓ Standards for chemical hygiene, including
occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in
the laboratories
✓ Bloodborne Pathogens standard
intended to minimize the risk of exposure to
bloodborne pathogens
 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) White Corrosive • May harm skin, eyes,
• Enforces regulations under the Clean Air Act, the or mucous
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and other membranes.
environmental statutes • Store away from red,
blue, and yellow-
e.g. ventilation, air contamination, disposal of
coded reagents.
hazardous waste Gray Presents no • For general chemical
more than storage
Department of Transportation (DOT) moderate
• Enforces regulations it issues about transporting hazard in any of
all types of hazardous materials the categories
Exception Reagent • Store separately
e.g. transport of laboratory specimens
incompatible
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
with other
• Approves new medicines and medical devices for
reagents of
safe after use
same color bar
e.g. toxicology, transfusion medicine, apheresis
Hazard code (4) Following the NFPA usage, each
Safety Officer
diamond shows:
• As for Velez College, all safety related concerns
1. RED segment (flammability),
(such as needle stick injury) should be reported to
2. BLUE segment (health; ie, toxicity),
the safety officer
3. YELLOW (reactivity).
• Who is our current safety officer?
(Print over each color-coded segment is a black number
showing the degree of hazard involved.)
Color of the diamond in the NFPA label indicates 4. The fourth segment, as stipulated by the NFPA,
hazard: is left blank.
• It is reserved for special warnings, such as
radioactivity.
• The numeric ratings indicate degree of hazard:
4 = extreme;
3 = severe;
2 = moderate;
1 = slight;
0 = none according to present data.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
COLOR INDICATES • Is any equipment worn to minimize exposure to
Red Flammable • Store in an area for hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and
flammable reagents illnesses.
Blue Health hazard • Toxic if inhaled, • These injuries and illnesses may result from
ingested, or absorbed
contact from either chemical, radiological,
through the skin.
physical, electrical, mechanical, or other
• Store in a secure area.
Yellow Reactive and • May react violently workplace hazards
oxidizing with air, water, or • Personal protective equipment may include items
reagents other substances. such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs
• Store away from or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests
flammable and and full body suits.
combustible materials
 Safety showers
• Green-and-white sign above the safety shower &
eyewash locations is helpful in locating them in an
Emergency
• Must be within 100 ft. and within a 10-second
walk of caustic and corrosive chemicals
• Water should be moderately warm or lukewarm
for the full 15-minute cycle
Eyewash stations
• Must be within 100 ft, and within a 10-second
walk of caustic and corrosive chemicals
• Flush the eye from the inside corner of the eye
outward (inside to outside)
• Stations must be capable of providing a minimum
of 15 minutes of hands-free flushing capacity
• Water pressure should be gentle
• Water from eyewash station should be cultured
every 6 months
Fire extinguishers
• used to help identify the location of a single or
multiple fire extinguishers.
• They are generally mounted 2 meters above floor
level for visibility or adjacent to the fire
extinguisher.
Fire blankets
Decontamination of spills
• Regardless of what type of spill, PPE must be used:
fluid-resistant cover gown & facial protection
• Heavyweight, puncture-resistant utility gloves are
recommended
• Rubber boots or waterproof shoe covers if the spill
is large
• If the spill contains broken glass, these should be
removed first with tongs and forceps or brush and
dustpan
• If the spill contains culture media, site should be
covered completely with absorbent materials.
After 10 minutes, cleanup procedures can be
started
• Generally, bleach is used to soak and disinfect
spills
First aid supplies
• All employees must be trained in first aid & at a
minimum, must know:
a. the location of the first aid kit
b. how to stop bleeding by direct pressure
with a gauze over the wound
c. emergency numbers.
d. cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
In addition, first aid kit must be available within the
laboratory, in a clearly marked box or cabinet
• Should contain the following:
1. Adhesive plastic bandages (large fingertip fabric
bandages, knuckle fabric bandages, triangular sling
with safety pins, gauze dressing pads, first aid tape
roll)
2. Hot & cold gel packs
3. Sterile sponge dressings
4. Gauze roll bandages
5. Adhesive tape
6. Sterile eye pad
7. Eyewash
8. Alcohol prep pads
9. Antiseptic towelettes
10. Triple antibiotic ointment pack
11. Scissors Mask
12. Tweezers • Used when performing laboratory procedures
13. Burn spray with potential of splashes or sprays of infectious
14. Ibuprofen tablets materials and aerosol potential
15. Antacid tablets • Very little info is available about the effectiveness
16. Non-aspirin pain tablets of facemasks in controlling spread of flu
Mechanical pipetting devices • Flu virus is transmitted thru direct contact
Hoods • What is not known is the extent to which tiny
• Fume hoods aerosol particles are implicated in transmission.
- Required to expel noxious and hazardous Mask What It Filters When to Use
fumes from chemical reagents Type
- Biosafety hoods Surgical Bacteria When directly
remove particles that may be harmful to the employee mask working with a patient
who may be
who is working with infective biologic specimens
Immunocompromised
Chemical storage equipment N-95 Particles as Interaction with
- Safety carriers small as 0.1u patient known or
- Safety cabinets such as TB suspected of having
- Explosion proof refrigerators active TB: Culturing TB
specimen
Cartridge Organic When ppm of a
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
purifying vapors such as hazardous chemical is
Laboratory Gowns xylene or above the action level
• Primary protection to prevent skin exposure from formaldehyde for that chemical
chemical or specimen (blood and other body
Gloves
fluids) splash or spill
• Disposable, single-use gloves when they have the
• Must be a bit loose, available as reusable or
potential for direct skin contact with infectious
disposable depending on laboratory application
materials and contaminated items or surfaces
• Aprons are not substitutes for lab gowns but
• Different types for different protection from
provide extra protection when fluid
infectious materials, chemicals, radioactive
contamination is likely (i.e. during autopsy)
contamination, cold and heat, sterile procedures,
• SHOULD NOT BE WORN OUTSIDE THE LAB!
and sharp edges
Use and Storage When to Change or
Replace • most commonly used material: vinyl, nitrile, and
Worn at all times while Changed when soiled latex
in lab work areas - Train employees in the proper use of gloves
"In-use" gowns hung on Replaced when - Select the right glove for each task
designated hooks in damaged - Inspect each glove for holes or tears & discard
work area if damage is found
Clean lab gowns stored
- Replace gloves that are torn, damaged, or
in cabinets or closets
soiled (when using)
- Wear gloves that completely cover the hands
and wrists
- Remove gloves aseptically (turning inside out)
- Never reuse gloves and NEVER WEAR GLOVES
IN NONBIOHAZARD AREAS
 Footwear
• Comfortable
• Non-slip soles
• Must cover the entire foot
• Must be made of material that will not allow
blood, body fluids, or chemicals to soak
through
• You may be required to change footwears in
sterile areas such as OR, DR, or Nursery
Safety Goggles
• Used to protect the eye against particles,
chemicals, water, glare and from thing
striking the eyes
Work shield
• Provide barrier protection to the facial area
and related mucous membranes (eyes, nose,
lips)
• Also considered an alternative to goggles
BIOLOGICAL SAFETY
• Biological Hazards/Biohazard are biological
substances that can pose as a human threat to health
when they are inhaled, eaten or come into contact
with the skin
• They can cause illnesses such as food poisoning,
tetanus, respiratory infections, or parasite infections
as well
• Biological Health Hazards can include bacteria,
viruses, parasites, mold and fungi
• Blood spill, needle prick, immunization, and proper
disposal of medical wastes are considered as a
biological hazard
Hazards
• Observe universal precaution. Treat every
patient specimen as potentially infectious.
• All blood samples of patient with high risk
should be processed with strict precaution.
• Specimen container should remain "capped"
during centrifugation.
• Any blood spills must be cleaned up and
disinfected immediately.
• Individuals with any wounds or abrasions
wear finger cots/gloves handling blood
specimens.
• Immunization
• Prevent Nosocomial Infections.
• Know the Five Moments for Hand Hygiene
CHEMICAL SAFETY
Hazards
o Toxic and poisonous
o Flammable and combustible.
o Corrosive
o Reactive
o Carcinogenic
Preventive measures
o Know the nature of the chemical used.
o Mechanical pipetting aids must always
o Observe basic rule of pipetting "acid to water"
o Chemical spills containment.
o Use safety cans, fume hood, and cabinets.
o Wear proper attire.
o Observe proper storage and disposal.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Electrical Hazards is a dangerous condition where
personnel can make electrical contact with an
energized equipment or conductor
• e.g., electric shock or burns or fault wirings of
machines and equipment
Hazards
o Physical harm from shock or burns.
o Danger from fire due to heat and sparks produced.
Preventive measures
o Use only explosion proof equipment in hazardous
atmospheres. (ex. Explosion proof refrigerators)
o Be particularly careful when operating high-voltage
equipment, such as electrophoresis apparatus.
o Use only properly grounded equipment (3-prong
plug).
o Check for "frayed" electrical cords.
o Report any malfunctioning or equipment producing
a "triangle" for prompt
o Do not work on "live" electrical equipment.
o Never operate electrical equipment with wet hands.
o Know the exact location of the electrical control
panel for the electricity to your work area.
o Use only approved extension cords and do not
overload circuits.
o Have a periodic preventive maintenance performed
on equipment.

FIRE SAFETY
• Fire Hazards is a type of occupation hazard that
either involves the presence of a flame, increased
probability that uncontrolled fire will occur or
increase the severity of a fire should one occur
• Can include flames, sparks, hot objects, flammable
chemicals, and chemical accelerants that increases a
fires rate of spread
Hazards
o Flammable/combustible chemicals or materials
o Electric hazard
Preventive measures
o Keep flammable substances in separate rooms.
o Use fire-resistant building products.
o Use explosion proof refrigerators.
o Perform procedures that result in highly combustible
reactions under water or in a vacuum chamber.
OTHER LABORATORY HAZARDS
Radioactive materials
• Post caution signs to areas with radioactive
materials.
• Only trained personnel area allowed in the areas.
• Practice proper disposal system.
Mechanical Hazards
• Use of centrifuge properly.
• Use glass beads to help eliminate boiling-over when
liquids are heated.
• Use tongs to remove hot glasswares from ovens, hot
plates, or water baths.
• Handle with care sharp instruments as cork-borers,
needles, scalpel, blades.
Cryogenic Materials (Liquid Nitrogen)
• Use gloves of impermeable material when handling
this kind of material.
• Store cryogenic fluids in well-insulated but loosely
stopped containers.
Compressed Gases (ex. Propane)
• Observe proper labeling and storage conditions.
• Follow correct handling and transport of tanks.
Ergonomic Hazards
• Consider the design of hand tools, adherence to
ergonomically correct technique, and equipment
positioning when engaging in any respective task.
CARDINAL SAFETY RULES OF THE CLINICAL
LABORATORY
Good personal behavior/habits
• Wear proper attire and protective clothing
• Tie back long hair
• Do not eat, drink, or smoke in the work
• Never mouth pipette.
• Wash hands frequently.
Good housekeeping
• Keep work areas free of chemicals, dirty
glassware, and so on.
• Store chemicals properly
• Label reagents and solutions.
• Post warning signs.
Good laboratory technique
• Do not operate new or unfamiliar equipment
until you have received instruction and
authorization.
• Read all labels and instructions carefully.
• Use the personal safety equipment that is
provided.
• For the safe handling, uses, and disposal
chemicals, learn their properties and hazards.
• Learn emergency procedures and become
familiar with the location of fire exits, fire
extinguishers, blankets, and so on.
• Be careful when transferring chemicals from
container to container, always add acid to water
slowly.
LABORATORY WASTES
• are materials used to sustain laboratory operations
that are no longer needed and should be discarded
or disposed.
• Classified into hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.
EXPLOSIVITY AND REACTIVITY
• includes waste that is unstable and reacts violently
when exposed to chemical change, releases toxic
fumes when mixed with water and even explode
under extreme conditions
• wastes that are capable of detonation and explosive
decomposition at standard temp. and pressure
CORROSIVITY
• includes waste that needs to be separated from
other wastes, waste that may react with heavy
metals to produce toxic contaminates, and corrode
steel waste containers, and aqueous substances with
pH less than 2 or pH greater than 12.5
TOXICITY
• waste that is harmful to humans and also the
environment as it stimulates the leaching of
materials from a landfill into the surround
groundwater.
IGNITABILITY
• includes waste that can cause a fire during routine
waste disposal and storage conditions, ignitable gas
from flammable mixture at 13% or less
concentration
• solid substances that may cause fire through friction
or absorption of moisture
INFECTIOUS WASTE
• these are wastes suspected to contain pathogenic
microorganisms. (ex. Cotton, bandages used to
disinfect, tissues form patients who sneezed)
PATHOLOGICAL WASTES
• include human and animal tissues, organs, body
parts (excluding teeth, hair, fingernails), and body
fluids that are removed during autopsy, biopsy,
surgery or other medical procedure.
CHEMICAL WASTES
• include discarded solids, liquids, and gaseous
chemicals from laboratory procedures, and include
laboratory reagents
BIOMEDICAL WASTES
• wastes generated in diagnostic laboratories,
including pathology laboratories, are considered
biochemical wastes.
LABORATORY WASTE MANAGEMENT
• Incineration (by burning)
This is the most acceptable means of waste disposal.
Incinerators are complex devices that contain secondary
equipment such as burners, scrubbers, electrostatic
precipitators, and filters.
• Microwave Treatment, Autoclaving (ex. Getting rid of
pathogens/ contaminants in test tubes/ glass pipettes),
Plasma-based Systems, and Irradiation
*Can plastic pipettes be autoclaved?
• Sterilization
• Sewer Systems
PROPER HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL PROCEDURES
• Hazardous wastes are to be placed in a compatible,
nonleaking container, with a nonleaking sealable lid.
• It should contain the following information:
- Laboratory name (department or division)
- Labels "Caution-Toxic" and "Hazardous Wastes"
- Identification of components
- hazard information, concentration and content
- Quantity
- Check the number of containers.
• Labeling of Waste
Label all waste bottles properly as "Hazardous
Wastes." which are the only acceptable words.
Labels of old containers should be completely
removed or defaced.
• Segregation of Waste
- Segregate laboratory wastes chemical wastes, as
pathological wastes, biological wastes, and
radioactive wastes.
- The wastes should be separated based on
chemical compatibility in order to prevent
violent chemical reaction.
- Acids, bases, and organic wastes should not be
stored in the same cabinet.
• Storage of Wastes
- Do not store wastes in a fume hood where
reactions take place as this may trigger a violent
reaction or might cause a fire.
- Do not use metal cans for storing wastes since
they might corrode in a short time; instead use
polyethylene containers.
 - Containers for flammable waste should be
stored in an explosion-resistant solvent cabinet.
• Capping Waste Bottles
• Waste bottles should be capped to prevent the
release of contents.
• Accumulation of Excessive Wastes
• Only one waste container of each type should be
in the laboratory. If an organic waste bottle is
full, it should be sent to the stockroom for
disposal.
Common Plastic Bags for Disposal
1. Black Bag – for dry and non-infectious wastes
(ex. barrel of syringes that are unused, wrappers,
boxes of syringes)
2. Yellow Bag – for infectious wastes
3. Red Bag – for shards of broken glass and
needles/ sharp objects
GUIDELINES FOR LAB WASTE SEGREGATION
• Do not store the following wastes close to each
other:
- acids and bases; organic materials and acids;
cyanides, sulfides, arsenic compounds, and acids
- powdered or reactive metals and combustible
materials
- mercury, silver, and ammonium compounds.
• Waste containers should be solid, with no cracks,
rust, or deterioration; compatible with the waste
and the contents; in the laboratory and not in
hallways, floor drains, or the sink.
• Should be taken to the stockroom for disposal
• Should be properly labeled with its FULL
CHEMICAL NAME
• Biochemical wastes should be segregated based
on their categories and their source of
generation: patient, care activity areas,
diagnostic services, operating rooms, delivery
rooms, treatment rooms, and so on. Biomedical
wastes must be collected within 24 hours and
the biomedical waste management and handling
rules should be adhered to when doing so.
ERRORS ENCOUNTERED IN HANDLING
HAZARDOUS LABORATORY WASTES
• Failure to label the waste container.
• Improper labeling of the waste container.
• Failure to close/seal the waste container.
• Improper segregation of the wastes.
• Improper storage of the wastes.
• Using an improper waste container.
• Accumulation of too much waste.
BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN ISSUES SPECIFIC FOR
LABORATORY SECTIONS
A number of laboratory sections face unique bloodborne
pathogen issues, as described in the following:
Phlebotomy
• Single-use latex-free tourniquets are recommended
in order to maintain good infection control
• Employees are required to use gloves during
tourniquet procedures
• Use needle holders with evacuated blood tube only
once
• Use hematocrit tubes made of plastic or Mylar
wrapped glass
Hematology
• Use sealant for hematocrit tubes only once, do not
reform for re-use
• Decontaminate sedimentation racks frequently
Microbiology
• Work with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) cultures
in a Class II Biosafety Cabinet (BSC) level 3
• Secure blood culture bottles in a holding device that
allows for easy entry and removal of the needle
• Place a gauze square on the stopper of inoculated
media
Chemistry
• Decontaminate equipment at the end of each shift
• Consider all waste from analyzers to be
contaminated and discard it
• Never re-cap or remove contaminated needles and
other contaminated sharps except where no
alternative is feasible, and the medical procedure
requires it (e.g. blood gas analysis)
Blood Bank
• When tubing is returned to the blood bank with the
needle attached, heat seal, clamp, or tie it, cut the
tube, and discard it in a sharps container
Anatomic pathology
• Wrap known or suspected TB tissue blocks in
cellophane or plastic bags before filling
• Decontaminate the cryostat daily with at least 70%
ethanol solution
• Always consider trimmings and sections of tissue to
be infectious
• Wear stainless steel mesh or sharp impermeable
gloves when changing knife blades
• Consider all solutions used for staining frozen
sections to be contaminated
• Never store or process reusable sharps, place them
in puncture-resistant label color coded, leakproof
containers.
HOW TO USE FIRE EXTINGUISHER
• RESCUE, ALARM, CONFINE,
EXTINGUISH/EVACUATE (RACE)
➢ An acronym that hospital personnel use to
remember their duties in case of fire
• PULL, AIM, SQUEEZE, SWEEP (PASS)
➢ An acronym that hospital personnel use to
remember their duties for discharging a fire
extinguisher.
1. Pull the pin at the top of the extinguisher that
keeps the handle from being accidentally
pressed.
2. Aim the nozzle toward the base of the fire.
3. Stand approximately 8 feet away from the fire
and squeeze the handle in short intervals to
discharge the extinguisher.
4. Sweep the nozzle back and forth at the base of
the fire. After the fire appears to be out, watch it
carefully since it may re-ignite!