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Lab. Safety
Laboratory safety is not usually thought of as a quality assurance activity, but the quality of the working environment has both direct and indirect influences on the quality of work produced.
A safe working environment provides a sense of security to the employee who does not need to spend his time worrying about possible accidents of hazards.
An unsafe working environment, old and faulty equipment, and unprotected chemical and biological hazards can affect detrimentally the concentration and attitude of the employees exposed to these conditions.
Lab. Safety
These factors can also create circumstances in which serious injury, damage, and significant error can occur.
Such conditions are the reflection of ignorance and / or an uncaring attitude by the laboratory management, neither of which is an attitude that promotes high quality performance
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Electrical Toxic vapors Compressed gasses Flammable liquids Radioactive materials ( not too common these days ) Corrosives Mechanical Poisons Biological
Always take time to be knowledgeable about laboratory safety concerns and practice
proper safety procedures
Lab. Hazards
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It’s essential to know the location and proper use of all safety equipment
It’s essential to know and have access to all printed information about safety policies and reagents
Remember … Always take time to be safe
Reduce Lab. Risks
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Good personal behavior & habits such as:
professional conduct and appearance, frequent hand washing, no eating, smoking, drinking, or application of makeup, etc. in lab. Should also make yourself aware of emergency
procedures / location and proper use of emergency equipment and fire escape route.
Your personal appearance does reflect your concern for safety.
Reduce Lab. Risks
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Good housekeeping – Laboratory cleanliness, properly labeled
containers, immediate appropriate
cleanup of any spills, warning signs of
potential danger posted, etc.
Reduce Lab. Risks
Good laboratory technique – carefully read all instructions and labels, do not operate equipment until you are instructed
and authorized to do so, always respect the power of acids, bases and
corrosive chemicals. Know the carcinogens listed in safety manual. Protect yourself with PPEs and
use proper eyewear protection
devices. Never recap needles, etc.
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Reduce Lab. Risks
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Safety responsibility – shared responsibility
Employer Provide and supervise safety methods, equipment and
policies
Employee Understand and practice established safety procedures Notify supervisors of unsafe conditions
Safety is everyone’s responsibility !!!
Safety Awareness
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Safety showers Eyewash stations Fire blankets Fire extinguishers Spill kits First aid kits Fume hoods Biosafety hoods Chemical storage cabinets PPEs ( Personal Protective Equipment )
Safety glasses, gloves, lab coats, masks
Safety Equipments
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Biological Safety
Standard Precautions ( Universal Precautions ) All biological specimens must be considered potentially infectious
Always use required PPEs (personal protection equipment) when handling biohazardous material
Cap specimens that are being centrifuged
Mouth pipeting is NEVER permitted under any circumstances
Spills must be cleaned using proper technique
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Biological Safety
Cleaning Specimen Collection Areas and Biological Spills
Wear gloves. Use 1:10 bleach solution or commercially prepared
solution. First clean area with visible blood and then disinfect
the entire area. Keep the bleach in contact with contaminated area
for at least 20 minutes. Provide accident follow-up.
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Chemical Safety
Storage and handling of Chemicals Different storage/handling requirements
chemicals based on their differing characteristics: Flammable/Combustible - classified among the most
dangerous in the lab. Corrosives – cause injury to eyes/skin, respiratory tract if
contact is made Reactive – under certain circumstances may react
violently - require special knowledge to prevent their contact with reaction causing substances.
Carcinogenic chemicals- been determined to cause cancer. Benzidine is often used as example of lab chemical now classified as carcinogen
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Labeling
Diamond shaped, color coded NFPA ( National Fire Protection Act ) labels are required to identify the nature of hazardous material …
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Everything must be labeled !!!
Hazardous material must include all necessary safety information
Labeling