Lab safety

01/3/2015
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 All clinical laboratory personnel, by the nature of the work
they perform, are exposed daily to a variety of real or
potential hazards:
■ electric shock
■ Fire
■ Breakage of glassware
■ Sharps
■ Spillages
■ Pressure equipment & gas cylinders
■ Extremes of heat & cold
■ Chemical hazards
■ Biological hazards
■ Radiation

Safety begins with the recognition of hazards

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 Signage and Labeling
Appropriate signs to identify hazards are critical
Red flammable. Store in an area
segregated for flammable reagents. 3
Blue health hazard. Toxic if inhaled,
ingested, or absorbed through the skin. 4 2
Store in a secure area.

Yellow reactive and oxidizing reagents. May

react violently with air, water, or other
substances. Store away from flammable and Numbers show degree of hazard
combustible
• 0 = Minimal
materials.
• 1 = Slight
White corrosive. May harm skin, eyes, or • 2 = Moderate
mucous membranes. • 3 = Serious
• 4 = Severe
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Kinds of chemical hazards
 SAFETY EQUIPMENT
■ safety showers,
■ eyewash stations,
■ fire extinguishers
■ periodically test and inspect the equipment for
proper operation
■ safety cabinet

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 Personal Protective Equipment
-Safety glasses, goggles, visors, or work shields protect the
eyes and face from splashes and impact
-Gloves and rubberized sleeves, gown protect the hands and
arms when using caustic chemicals
-Lab coats, preferably with knit-cuffed sleeves, should be full
length and buttoned and made of liquid-resistant material.
-Proper footwear is required; shoes constructed of porous
materials,open
-Respirators with highefficiency
particulate air (HEPA) filters
must be worn

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 BIOLOGIC SAFETY
-Spills
Any blood, body fluid, or other potentially infectious material
spill must be cleaned up, and the area or equipment must
be disinfected immediately as following:
■ 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 or10% bleach, using
appropriate contact time.

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 CHEMICAL SAFETY
Each Hazardous chemical compound must have its material
safety data sheets (MSDSs) in the workplace.
What are the material safety data sheets (MSDSs)?
is a major source of safety information for employees who may
use hazardous materials in their occupations, A summary
of the MSDS information requirements includes the following:

■ 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 ■ 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

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FIRE SAFETY
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

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FIRE SAFETY

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 Laboratory hygiene

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 DISPOSAL SHARPS

. Puncture resistant yellow container

. ¾ full
. Do not shake
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Laboratory hygiene
■ Never eat, drink or smoke in a laboratory
■ Never apply cosmetics
■ Never touch your face, mouth or eyes
■ Never suck pens or chew pencils
■ Always wash your hands before you leave and especially
before eating

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First Aid
Injury: Burns
To do: Immediately flush with cold water until burning
sensation is lessened.
First Aid
Injury: Cuts, bruises
To do: Do not touch an open wound without safety
gloves. Pressing directly on minor cuts will stop
bleeding in a few minutes. Apply cold compress to
bruises to reduce swelling.
First Aid
Injury: Fainting
To do: Provide fresh air and have the person recline so
that their head is lower than the rest of their body.
First Aid
Injury: The eyes
To do: Flush eyes immediately with plenty of water for
several minutes. If a foreign object is lodged in the
eye, do not allow the eye to be rubbed.
First Aid
Injury: Poisoning
To do: Find out what substance was responsible for
the poisoning and alert the teacher immediately.
First Aid
Injury: Spills on the skin
To do: Flush with large quantities of water. For acid
spills apply baking soda solution. For base spills
apply vinegar or boric acid.
First Aid
Injury: Electrical shock
To do: Shut off the current at the source. Remove wire
with rubber gloves. Alert the teacher immediately.
Blood Sample Collection
(phlebotomy)
SOURCE AND COMPOSITION OF BLOOD SPECIMENS

■ Arterial blood composition

is normally uniform throughout the body. However, because arterial puncture
is technically difficult and potentially hazardous,
it is primarily reserved for blood gas evaluation
■ Venous blood composition
is affected by metabolic activity of the tissue it drains and varies by collection
site. It differs most from arterial blood in its lower oxygen content, but chloride,
glucose, pH, CO2, lactic acid, and ammonia levels may also differ.

■ Capillary blood
contains arterial and venous blood plus tissue fluid

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TYPES OF BLOOD SPECIMENS

■ Serum
is normally a clear, pale yellow fluid (non-fasting serum can be
cloudy due to lipids) separated from clotted blood by
centrifugation. Many chemistry tests are performed on serum.

■ Plasma is normally a clear to slightly hazy, pale yellow fluid that separates
from the cells when blood in an anticoagulant tube is centrifuged. Plasma
contains fibrinogen; serum does not because it was used in clot formation.
Many chemistry tests can be performed on either serum or plasma.

■ Whole blood contains both cells and plasma, like blood in the body. As with
plasma, it must be collected in an anticoagulant tube to keep it from clotting.
Whole blood is used for most hematology tests

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VENIPUNCTURE EQUIPMENT

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VENIPUNCTURE EQUIPMENT

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VENIPUNCTURE EQUIPMENT

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VENIPUNCTURE EQUIPMENT

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VENIPUNCTURE EQUIPMENT

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VENIPUNCTURE EQUIPMENT

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VENIPUNCTURE EQUIPMENT

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VENIPUNCTURE EQUIPMENT

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Qu
es
t io
n?
Quiz
Q1-True or false:

-MSDS use as one management step for biological hazard ()

-we can touch our face during lab working ()
-the best vein for blood collection is metacarpal cubital vein ()
-for blood gases evaluation we use arterial blood sample ()
-the lithium heparin anticoagulant commonly used for
biochemistry tests ()
Q2-Explain the main differences between Serum and plasma?

CREDIT: khaldoon sadaiq

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