9/6/2022
General Safety Precautions
Lab Safety:
Hazards – part 1
Biological, Sharps, and Physical Safety Hazards
Types of Safety Hazards
 Biological: Infectious agents
 Physical: Wet floors, heavy lifting
 Sharps: Needles, lancets, broken glass
 Chemicals: Preservatives, reagents
 Radiation: Radioactive reagents, X-ray equipment
 Electrical: Dangerous high-voltage equipment
 Fire or explosive: Open flames, chemicals, Gases under pressure (oxygen)
 Latex sensitivity: Allergic reaction to latex in gloves or other equipment
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 Practice hand hygiene
 Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when
handling specimens
 Avoid touching face, nose, or mouth in work area; do not rub your
eyes
 Never store food or beverages in a laboratory refrigerator with
reagents or specimens
 Do not let anything hang loose that might get contaminated or caught
in equipment
 Protect your feet from spills, slips, and falling objects
 Avoid putting anything in your mouth in the work area
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licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
Biohazards
 Denotes infectious materials or agents that present a risk or even a
potential risk to the health of humans or animals in the laboratory
 Risk is defined as the probability that a health effect will occur after an
individual has been exposed to a specified amount of a hazard.
 Bioterrorism agents are divided into categories A, B, and C.
 Biosafety levels 1, 2, 3, and 4
 Risk assessment is an important part of biosafety. Laboratories should perform
a risk assessment to determine if there are certain procedures or specimens
that may require higher levels of biocontainment.
 Biosafety Cabinets
 Remove potentially harmful particles of infective biologic specimens
 Offer various levels of protection, depending on biosafety level of specific
laboratory
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Infectious Waste
 OSHA regulations apply to human blood, human infectious waste, and
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human pathologic waste. States often expand the definition of
medical waste or blood to include animals.
 Biohazard containers: Body fluid specimens, including blood, must be
placed in well-constructed biohazard containers with secure lids to
prevent leakage during transport and for future disposal.
 Biohazard bags: Plastic bags are appropriate for disposal of most
infectious waste materials, but rigid, impermeable containers should
be used for disposal of sharps and broken labware.
 Conspicuously marked “Biohazard” and bear the universal biohazard
symbol.
 Display the universal color: orange, orange and black, or red.
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licensed under CC BY-NC
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 9/6/2022

Infectious Waste Sharps Hazard

 Most laboratories generate at least three major types of waste  Sharps are the most common hazards that a phlebotomist will
streams: encounter
 Nonregulated waste  Always use the safety engineering features
 Regulated medical waste (RMW)  Never detach the needle from the plastic tube holder
 Chemical waste  Dispose of all sharps or potential sharps in a puncture-resistant
 The RMW is divided into two groups: container immediately after use
 Biohazard waste  Needle Stick Safety and Prevention Act of 2001
 Biohazard sharps  Required employers to switch to safety needle devices
 Required employers to solicit employee input in choosing safety needle devices
 Imposed high fines for failure to comply

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licensed under CC BY
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under CC BY-SA

Procedure After Blood Exposure

 Immediately after an exposure of any kind, flood with water; then

clean with soap and water or a skin disinfectant
 Report immediately to your employer
 Follow all protocols, usually involving testing of the employee and the
patient whose blood the employee was exposed to
 Seek immediate medical attention

Physical Hazards Sensitivity to Latex and Other Materials

 Avoid running  Irritant contact dermatitis is a reaction to direct skin contact with materials
left on the latex during manufacturing.
 Watch for wet floors
 Symptoms include redness, swelling, and itching within minutes to hours after
 Ergonomic Hazards: Avoid prolonged repetitive motions exposure.
 Bend your knees and lift with the legs when lifting heavy objects or  Washing the exposed area can reduce irritation within several hours This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under
transferring a patient CC BY-SA
 Allergic contact dermatitis is a true allergic response to the proteins of latex
 Maintain a clean, organized work area that are absorbed through the skin
 Mechanical Hazards: Balance centrifuges  A life-threatening anaphylaxis in which the airway swells shut, heart rate
increases, and blood pressure drops may occur
 Epinephrine injection and a trip to the emergency room are needed for anaphylaxis

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under CC BY-NC-ND CC BY-SA-NC