LAB MANAGEMENT::LAB SAFETY


• Annual training is provided to employees and includes docu- mented evidence that employees have understood the training


• Regular evacuation drills are performed • Appropriate engineering and work practice controls are in place in the laboratory to minimize the hazards inherent in the laboratory


• All necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided to laboratory staff


• All laboratory employees are provided with the necessary vaccinations and health monitoring


• The employees are informed of significant risks associated with tasks being performed


• Immediate medical attention can be arranged, on any shift, for incidents involving exposure to blood-borne pathogens or a chemical or biological agent


Laboratory safety officer The lab manager should appoint a laboratory safety officer who has experience and credentials in the field of laboratory safety. For small laboratories, one individual in the facility should take appropriate courses to become knowledgeable in all laboratory safety requirements. The safety officer’s main function is to provide guidance to management officials and supervisors who are responsible for providing a safe workplace for all employees. The safety officer is expected to make recommendations and should be authorized to stop activities that are clearly unsafe, but the laboratory director remains ultimately responsible for safety in the laboratory.1 The safety officer may be either the safety director of the


healthcare facility in which the laboratory is located, or a specifi- cally designated laboratory safety officer. In those laboratories that have a laboratory safety committee, the laboratory safety officer should be at least an ex officio member of this com- mittee. If the healthcare facility has a single safety committee, the laboratory should be represented, and specific laboratory issues should be addressed. Laboratories should review local, regional, and national regulations concerning the composition of a laboratory safety committee and meeting frequency.1 The laboratory safety officer or the laboratory director is


responsible for providing guidance and direction to all sites that submit specimens to the laboratory. All specimens are to be transported to the laboratory in a manner that follows government regulations and prevents contamination of workers, the public, and the environment.1 The laboratory safety officer is responsible for periodically


reviewing (at least annually) and updating the laboratory’s hazard identification system to ensure its relevance to known hazards.1 Fire hazard controls for use within the laboratory or labora- tory units should be properly identified, and all doors leading into these areas should be marked, identifying specific hazards within. A recognized emblem system, such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)9


of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals,10 for this purpose.


or Globally Harmonized System should be used


Hazardous chemical waste disposal coordinator One person in the laboratory needs to be designated to coordi- nate and be responsible for the laboratory’s hazardous chemi- cal waste disposal. The coordinator should evaluate hazardous chemicals based on their hazardous properties, according to national and/or regional regulations. The evaluations should be documented and available for retrieval. Disposal procedures for hazardous waste should be communicated to employees using language that ensures their understanding.1


20 JANUARY 2022 MLO-ONLINE.COM


Radiation safety officer Any laboratory that performs tests using radioactive materials needs to meet the requirements of the U.S. Nuclear Regula- tory Commission (NRC), including a radiation control plan. The laboratory director needs to appoint a radiation safety officer (RSO) who is responsible for administering the radia- tion control plan and ensuring the laboratory complies with NRC requirements.1


Responsibilities of the laboratory employee Laboratory employees are responsible for the following tasks:1 • Complying with safety policies • Reporting unsafe working conditions • Reporting any accident or incident involving hazards • Using PPE appropriately and whenever required


Conclusion


Implementing a laboratory safety program is an effective way of protecting laboratory workers from hazards such as laboratory- acquired infections, radiation, and other hazardous materials. Although there are several employee roles responsible for ensuring safety in the laboratory, the laboratory director is ul- timately responsible for the safety of the laboratory under his or her guidance.


REFERENCES


1. CLSI. Clinical Laboratory Safety; Approved Guideline—Third Edition. CLSI document GP17-A3. Wayne, PA: Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute; 2012.


2. Pike RM. Laboratory-associated infections: incidence, fatalities, causes, and prevention. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1979;33:41-66.10.


3. Baron EJ, Miller JM. Bacterial and fungal infections among diagnostic labora- tory workers: evaluating the risks. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2008;60(3):241-246. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2007.09.01.


4. CLSI. Protection of Laboratory Workers from Occupationally Acquired Infec- tions; Approved Guideline—Fourth Edition. CLSI document M29-A4. Wayne, PA: Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute; 2014.


5. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health. Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL). 5th ed. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2011.


6. Snyder JW. Role of the hospital-based microbiology laboratory in preparation for and response to a bioterrorism event. J Clin Microbiol. 2003;41(1):1-4. doi: 10.1128/JCM.41.1.1-4.2003.


7. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Select Agent Registry. http://www.selectagents.gov. Accessed August 13, 2021.


8. Delany JR, Pentella MA, Rodriguez JA, Shah KV, Baxley KP, Holmes DE. Guidelines for biosafety laboratory competency: CDC and the Association of Public Health Laboratories. MMWR. 2011;60(2):1-6. http://www.cdc.gov/ mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/su6002a1.htm?s_cid=su6002a1_w. Accessed August 13, 2021.


9. NFPA. Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response. NFPA 704. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association; 2012.


10. US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A Guide to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ghs.html. Accessed August 13, 2021.


Joanne P. Christopher, MA, ELS, is a Content Specialist for the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). She is a board-certified life sciences editor and a member of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). Joanne has been writing for the healthcare industry for 15 years.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50