Safety & Sanitation

Veterinary AssistingMrs. Cook

SafetyPeople who work with animals are faced with potentially hazardous situations on a daily basis.

Safety• OSHA: Government agency that “assures

safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women”.

• 1970: Occupational Health and Safety Administration is created

Safety• MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet

• An MSDS is required to accompany any chemical that is flammable, corrosive, or poisonous.

• Includes the following 8 sections:

• 1. Manufacturer Information• 2. Hazard Ingredients/Identity Information• 3. Physical/Chemical Characteristics• 4. Fire and Explosion Hazard Data• 5. Reactivity Data• 6. Health Hazard Data• 7. Precautions for Safe Handling and Use• 8. Control Measures

Safety Hazards-Chemical

• Drugs• Cleaning Agents• Insecticides• Anesthetic Gases

Safety Hazards-Chemical• Chemical Hazard Symbols:

AlcoholsExamples: Ethyl alcohol, Isopropyl alcohol, Ethanol• Effective against gram positive and negative bacteria• Usually diluted to 60-70%• Irritating to tissues, cytotoxic (toxic to living cells)• Used as a solvent for disinfectants and antiseptics

AldehydesExamples: Gluteraldehyde, Formaldehyde• Effective against gram positive and negative bacteria,

fungi, and most viruses• Irritating and toxic to tissues

ChlorineExample: Bleach• Effective against gram positive and negative bacteria,

fungi, and most viruses• Cheapest, most effective chemical disinfectant• Irritating and toxic to tissues

Iodine and IodophorsExamples: Betadine• Effective against gram positive and negative bacteria, and

fungi• Usually used in solution with water or alcohol• Iodophors = iodine mixed with detergent to use as a surgical

scrub• Stains and irritates tissues• Kills microbes but has limited activity against bacterial spores

Quaternary Ammonias

Examples: Centrimide, Quatsyl-D• Effective against gram positive bacteria and some

gram negative bacteria, some fungi, and some viruses

Safety Hazards-PhysicalAnimal Injuries: Frightened or nervous animals are more prone to biting, kicking, and scratches• Proper restraint is imperative• Especially dangerous with large animals• Cat’s needle-like teeth and sharp claws

harbor bacteria

Safety Hazards-Physical• Back injuries: improperly lifting heavy

objects or animals

Safety Hazards-Physical• Falls on wet floors• Exposure to X-Rays

Safety Hazards-Zoontoic

• Zoonotic: Any disease that can be passed from animals to humans

• Viruses• Bacteria• Parasites• Fungi

Safety Hazards-Zoontoic• Virus: A pathogen consisting of a single nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat and having the ability to replicate only within a living cell

• Viral Diseases:• Rabies (Hydrophobia)• Sleeping Sickness (Encephalitis)

Safety Hazards-Zoontoic• Bacteria: A microorganism that can

reproduce on it’s own (doesn’t need a host cell)

• Bacterial Diseases:• Cat Scratch Fever• Leptospirosis• Salmonellosis• Brucellosis• Anthrax• Tuberculosis

Safety Hazards-Zoontoic

• Parasite: An organism living within or on another organism.

• Parasitic Diseases:• Sarcoptic mange• Toxoplasmosis• Visceral Larva Migrans (Toxocariasis)• Creeping Eruption (Ancylostomiasis)

Safety Hazards-Zoontoic

• Fungal Diseases: • Ringworm

Safety Hazards-Biological• Living tissue and organisms• Blood • Urine• Live Vaccines• Medical waste that has had contact with

living tissue (urine soaked blankets, bandage material, etc.)

• Needles and scalpels—”Sharps”

Safety Signs and Equipment

•Danger

Safety Signs and Equipment

•Biohazard

Safety Signs and Equipment

•Radioactive

Safety Signs and Equipment

•Wet Floor

Safety Signs and Equipment

•Dosimeter

Safety Signs and Equipment

•Lead Gloves

Safety Signs and Equipment

•Lead Apron

Safety Signs and Equipment

•Back Brace

Types of Sanitation

• Cleaning: Physically removing all visible signs of dirt and organic matter such as feces, blood, hair, etc.

• Disinfecting: Destroying most microorganisms on nonliving things by physical or chemical means

Types of Sanitation• Sterilizing: Destroying ALL

microorganisms and viruses on an object using chemicals and/or heat under pressure

• Antiseptics: Solutions that destroy microorganisms or inhibit their growth on living tissue

Methods of Sanitation• Physical Cleaning: Using a chemical

with a mop or sponge• Cold Sterilization: Soaking items in a

disinfectant chemical until they are used• Dry Heat: Incinerating an object or

exposing it to flame• Radiation: Using ultraviolet or gamma

rays

Methods of Sanitation• Filtration: Removing particles from the

air using a physical barrier• Ultrasound: Passing high frequency

sound waves through a solution to cerate a vibration that scrubs an object to remove the debris

• Autoclave: A sealed chamber in which objects are exposed to heat and steam under pressure

Drug SchedulesSchedule I: no medical use – high abuse

Heroin, Methaqualone, LSD, Peyote, Psilocybin, Marijuana, Hashish, Hash Oil, amphetamine variants.

Schedule II: accepted medical use – high abuseDilaudid, Demerol, Methadone, Cocaine, PCP, Morphine, and cannabis, amphetamine and barbiturate types.

Schedule III: accepted medical use – medium abuse

Opium, Vicodan, Tylenol w/codine, and narcotic, amphetamine and barbiturate types.

Schedule IV: accepted medical use – low abuseDarvocet, Xanax, Valium, Halcyon, Ambien, Ativan, barbiturate types.

Schedule V: accepted medical use – very low abuse

Lomotil, Phenergan, liquid suspensions.