LABORATORY SAFETY

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND

HEALTH ACT (OSHA)
Public Law 91-596
was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1970
Main goal: provide all employees with a
safe work environment

Occupational safety and Health

Administration
-authorized to conduct on-site inspections
to determine whether an employer is
complying with the mandatory standards
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
ACT (OSHA)
OSHA standards that regulate safety in
the laboratory include the following:
Bloodborne Pathogen Standard
Formaldehyde Standard
Laboratory Standard
Hazard Communication Standard
Respiratory Standard
Air Contaminants Standard
Personal Protective Equipment Standard.
Bloodborne Pathogen Standard
▪ applies to all exposure to blood or other
potentially infectious materials in any occupational
setting
▪ Universal Precaution and PPE
▪ mandates the development of an exposure
control plan
▪ decontamination and safe handling of specimen
▪ requirement for HBV vaccination

Hazard Communication Standard

▪ Toxic and Hazardous Substances regulations
▪ to ensure that the hazards of all chemicals used in
the workplace have been evaluated and that this
hazard information is successfully transmitted to
employers and their employees
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTION
Instituted by CDC (1987)
all patients are considered to be possible
carriers of blood-borne pathogens
recommends wearing gloves when collecting
or handling blood and body fluids
contaminated with blood
wearing face shields when there is danger of
blood splashing on mucous membranes
disposing all needles and sharp objects in
puncture-resistant containers.
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTION
CDC excluded urine and body fluids not
visibly contaminated by blood from UP,
although many specimens can contain a
considerable amount of blood before it
becomes visible.
The modification of UP for body substance
isolation (BSI) helped to alleviate this
concern.
BSI guidelines are not limited to
blood-borne pathogens; they consider all
body fluids and moist body substances to
BSI GUIDELINES

personnel should wear gloves at all times

when encountering moist body
substances.
A major disadvantage of BSI guidelines
are that they do not recommend
handwashing following removal of gloves
unless visual contamination is present.
STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
Handwashing
Gloves
Mask, eye protection, and face shield
Gown
Patient care equipment
Environmental control
Linen
Occupational health and blood-borne
pathogens
Patient placement
CHEMICAL SAFETY HAZARD
COMMUNICATION
OSHA published the new Hazard
Communication Standard (Right to Know
Law).
To comply with the regulation, clinical
laboratories must:
Plan and implement a written hazard
communication program
Obtain material safety data sheets (MSDS)
Educate all employees
Maintain hazard warning labels on containers
received or filled on site.
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET

major source of safety information for

employees who may use hazardous
materials
Product name and identification
Hazardous ingredients
Permissible exposure limit (PEL)
Physical and chemical data
Health hazard data and carcinogenic potential
Primary routes of entry
Fire and explosion hazards
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
Reactivity data
Spill and disposal procedures
PPE recommendations
Handling
Emergency and first aid procedures
Storage and transportation precautions
Chemical manufacturer’s name, address, and
telephone number
Special information section
OSHA Laboratory Standard
to address the shortcomings of the
Hazard Communication Standard
▪ requires the appointment of a chemical
hygiene officer and the development of a
chemical hygiene plan
▪ CHEMICAL HYGIENE PLAN
▪ Procedures describing how to protect
employees against teratogens,
carcinogens, and other toxic chemicals
must be described in the plan.
▪ Must detail engineering controls, PPE,
safe work practices, and
administrative controls, including
provisions for medical surveillance and
Other Organizations/Law Concerned
with LAB SAFETY
Clean Water Act
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Toxic Substances Control Act
The Clinical and Laboratory Standards
Institute (CLSI) provides excellent general
and infection control guidelines in their
documents
The Joint Commission (TJC)
College of American Pathologists (CAP)
National Fire Protection Association
ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000 (REPUBLIC
ACT 9003) BY DENR
Biodegradable waste – food wastes, yard
wastes, etc. (green)
Non-biodegradable/Recyclable wastes –
paper, plastic, styrofoam, tin cans, bottles, etc.
(red)
Non-recyclable/residual wastes – used/worn
out rugs, ceramics, soiled plastics, candy
wrappers, etc. (blue)
Special/Hazardous Wastes – used fluorescent
lamps/bulbs, batteries, spray canisters, etc.
(black)
SAFETY AWARENESS FOR CLINICAL
LABORATORY PERSONNEL
Employer’s Responsibilities
▪ Establish laboratory work methods and safety
policies.
▪ Provide supervision and guidance to
employees.
▪ Provide safety information, training, personal
protective equipment, and medical
surveillance to employees.
▪ Provide and maintain equipment and
laboratory facilities that are adequate for the
tasks required.
SAFETY AWARENESS FOR CLINICAL
LABORATORY PERSONNEL
Employee’s Responsibilities
▪ Know and comply with the 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 personal protective equipment.
GENERAL LABORATORY SAFETY
PRACTICES
No smoking, eating, and application of
cosmetics
Proper use of PPE (should never be worn
outside the laboratory)
Shoes should be made of nonporous materials
with closed toes and heels
Hand washing should be done between each
patient even if gloves are worn
Needles and other sharps should be discarded
into puncture-resistant and leak-proof
containers (½ to ¾ full before disposal)
SAFETY EQUIPMENT

All laboratories are required to have

safety showers, (recommended that safety
showers deliver 30 to 50 gallons of water per
minute at 20 to 50 psi)
eyewash stations,
fire extinguishers.
fire blankets, spill kits, and first aid supplies.
CHEMICAL FUME HOODS AND
BIOLOGICAL SAFETY CABINETS
BIOLOGIC SAFETY GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Spills
Wear appropriate protective equipment.
Use mechanical devices to pick up broken glass or
other sharp objects.
Absorb the spill with paper towels, gauze pads, or
tissue.
Clean the spill site using a common aqueous
detergent.
Disinfect the spill site using approved disinfectant
or 10% bleach, using appropriate contact time.
Rinse the spill site with water.
Dispose of all materials in appropriate biohazard
containers.
LAB SAFETY GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Concentrated Acid/Base Spills
Should be diluted with water before
cleanup is attempted
Cover the spill with neutalizer
Sodium bicarbonate- acids
Boric acid- bases
Absorb spill using an absorbent
Surface should be covered with soap and
water
 NSF North Mississippi GK-8

OTHER CHEMICAL HAZARDS AND

SYMBOLS
Flammable Irritant

Explosive Corrosive

Toxic/Poison Environmental
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Flammable/Combustible Chemicals
Flash point, which is the temperature at which
sufficient vapor is given off to form an
ignitable mixture with air

Acetone, Benzene, Ethanol, Heptane,

Isopropanol, Methanol, Toluene, xylene.

Certain gases, such as hydrogen, and solids,

such as paraffin
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Categories of Chemicals
Corrosive - chemicals with a pH of <2 or > 12.5
Toxic Substances - poisons, irritants and
asphyxiants
Carcinogens - capable of causing cancers
Mutagens and Teratogens - capable of
causing chromosomal aberrations and
congenital malformations
Ignitable - flammable and combustible
Reactive - explosives and oxidizers
CHEMICAL HAZARDS

Corrosive Chemicals
injurious to the skin or eyes by direct
contact
Injurious to the tissue of the respiratory
and gastrointestinal tracts if inhaled or
ingested.
Acids (acetic, sulfuric, nitric, and
hydrochloric)
Bases (ammonium hydroxide, potassium
hydroxide, and sodium hydroxide)
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Reactive Chemicals
With molecular structures of high reactivity
Oxidizers with high oxygen content or
compounds with redox groups
substances that, under certain conditions, can
spontaneously explode or ignite or that
evolve heat or flammable or explosive gases
Some strong acids or bases react with water
to generate heat (exothermic reactions)
mixture of oxidizing agents, such as
peroxides, and reducing agents, such as
hydrogen, generate heat and may be
explosive.
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
OSHA Regulated Carcinogenic Chemicals
❑ Chloromethyl methyl ether- vinyl chloride
❑ N-Nitrosodimethylamine
❑ Benz[a] pyrene
❑ 4-Aminobiphenyl
❑ Benzidine
❑ 1-Naphthylamine
❑ 2-Naphthylamine
❑ 4-Nitrobiphenyl
❑ Benzene
❑ Ethylenimine
❑ P-Dimethylaminobenzene
❑ Β-Propiolactone
❑ Bis Chloromethyl ether
RADIATION SAFETY
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Four Types of Ionizing Radiation
Alpha Particles (e.g. Plutonium)
Beta Particles
Electromagnetic Radiation (gamma rays and
x-rays)
Neutron

Effects:
damage to DNA leading to mutation,
cancer or cell death
RADIATION SAFETY
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Alpha Particles
Large and can travel only a very short range in air
May be stopped by skin or paper
Cause tissue damage if inhaled or ingested
Beta Particles
Smaller and they are negatively charged electron
With limited penetrating power
Cause tissue damage if inhaled or ingested
Emitted by 3H, 14C, 32P
Neutrons
Arise from spontaneous fission of some isotopes
and produced by atomic reactors and accelerators
RADIATION SAFETY
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Gamma rays and X-rays

Composed of electromagnetic energy and not
composed of atomic particles
Gamma rays
No mass or charge but with great penetrating
ability
Produce significant internal and external hazard if
in high concentration
Produced by 125I and 131I
X-rays
Differ from gamma rays only in the origin of
RADIATION SAFETY
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
license is required if the total amount of
radioactive material exceeds a certain
level.
Film badge or dosimeter must be worn
when handling radioactive chemicals
THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUES
Exposure limits to toxic chemical in the
workplace
THREE TYPES
1. Time-Weighted Average (TLV-TWA)-
represents the maximum allowable exposure
over an 8-hour work day
2. Short-Term Exposure Limit (TLV-STEL)-
represents the maximum amount of allowable
exposure for a short period such as 15 minutes
3. Ceiling Value Form (TLV-C)- represents the
concentration of an agent that must never be
STORAGE OF CHEMICALS
Stored in an uncluttered area (properly
ventilated)
Away from heat source
Should not be stored above eye levels
Inorganics should be stored separately from
organics (EXCEPT NITRIC ACID)
Flammables should be stored in an approved
flammable safety cabinet
Water reactive chemicals should be stored in a
dry environment (no automatic sprinkler
system)c
FIRE SAFETY
THE CHEMISTRY OF FIRE
all the elements essential for fire to begin
are present—fuel, heat or ignition source,
and oxygen (air)
CLASSIFICATION OF FIRES

Class A: ordinary combustible solid

materials, such as paper, wood, plastic, and
fabric
Class B: flammable liquids/gases and
combustible petroleum products
Class C: energized electrical equipment
Class D: combustible/reactive metals, such
as magnesium, sodium, and potassium
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS
Use only explosion-proof equipment in
hazardous atmospheres.
Be particularly careful when operating
high-voltage equipment, such as
electrophoresis apparatus.
Use only properly grounded equipment
(three-pronged plug).
Check for frayed electrical cords.
Promptly report any malfunctions or
equipment.
Do not work on “live” electrical equipment
Equipment should be checked annually for
current leakage and ground integrity
 NSF North Mississippi GK-8

LAB SAFETY RULES

1. Always follow the teacher’s directions
and only do lab work when a teacher is
present.
2. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at
all times.
3. Do not touch any equipment, chemicals, or
other materials until told to do so.
4. Do not eat food, drink beverages, or chew
gum in the lab. Do not use lab glassware as
food or beverage containers
5. Report ALL accidents to your teacher
immediately, even if you think it is minor.
“The roots of education are bitter, but the
fruit is sweet.”
-- Aristotle