lab

1. LAB SAFETY PRACTICE
DR. SWASTI
QUALITY COORDINATOR

2. Purpose
Organization for Safe Working Environment
Component-
• Infection control
• Emergency and disaster
preparedness
• Laboratory safety
• Occupational health and safety

3. Safety of staff
Staff and Patient Education and
Training:
• All new employees (fresh recruit/transferred)
are trained about the safety guidelines observed
in the department during their departmental
orientation.
• All the staff are imparted training in Fire
Safety, Chemical Safety.
• Patients are educated regarding the laboratory
tests to be undertaken by them, special
precautions or instructions if any to be observed
prior to and during the test etc.
• All staff will be informed that they should report
exposure to potentially infectious body fluids to
their immediate supervisor at which time
appropriate action to protect the patients in the
hospital will be taken.

4. Laboratory practice and technique
• Employees shall wash their hands immediately or as soon
as possible after removal of gloves or other PPE & after
hand contact with blood or other potentially infectious
materials.
• Used needles and other sharps shall not be sheared, bent,
broken and recapped, by hand. Used needles shall not be
removed from fixed syringes.
• Eating, drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics, and
handling contact lenses are prohibited in work areas where
there is a potential for occupational exposure.
• All procedures involving blood or other potentially
infectious materials shall be performed in such a manner
as to minimize splashing, spraying, and aerosolization of
these substances.
• Disposable (single-use) gloves such as surgical or
examination gloves shall be replaced as soon as possible
when visibly soiled, torn, and punctured or when their
ability to function as a barrier is compromised. They shall
not be washed or disinfected for re-use.
• Fluid resistant clothing, surgical caps or hoods shall be
worn if there is a potential for splashing or spraying of
blood or other potentially infectious materials.

5. • Never perform mouth pipetting and never blow out pipettes that contain potentially
infectious material.
• Do not mix potentially infectious material by bubbling air through the liquid.
• Wash hands whenever gloves are changed.
• Needle should not be recapped, bent or broken by hand. Always use a needle
destroyer.
• If a needle has to be removed from a syringe, use forceps.
Safe work practices
• Use Personal Protective Equipment.
• There should be at least one eyewash facility per laboratory.
• If exposed to infectious agent ,hold the eyelids open while using the eye wash and let the
water spray of for an extended period of time .
Handling of specimen:
• Use needle-locking syringes or plastic disposable syringe-needle units.
• Secure blood culture bottles before inserting needles into the bottle (eg., place bottle in support
rack).
• Always carry tubes in racks .
• Use plastic tubes when possible
• Clean and disinfect (see section on decontamination) all surfaces after spills and at the end of each
work shift

6. Biological hazards:
Prevention of laboratory employee exposure to infectious agents, such as the hepatitis
virus and HIV, is essential.
Exposure to infectious agents results form:
- Accidental puncture with needles and sharps.
-Spraying of infectious material by a syringe or spilling or splattering of these materials
on bench tops or floors.
-Centrifuge accidents.
-Before centrifuging tubes, inspect them for cracks. Inspect the inside of the trunnion
cup for signs of erosion or adhering matter. Ensure that rubber cushions are free from
all bits of glass.
-Cuts or scratches from contaminated glassware. Any unfixed tissue, including blood
slides, also must be treated as potentially infectious material
Decontamination
• Routine decontamination and cleaning of the work environment are the
responsibility of all laboratory workers particularly, of the housekeeping staff.
• Procedures for Decontamination
-Preparation Of 0.1% Hypochlorite Solution
-Prepare fresh daily Add one part of Hypochlorite in 9 parts of water
- Dispense in wide mouthed large plastic containers.

7. Decontamination of Work Surfaces
• Works surfaces have to be decontaminated at least twice daily, before the work
begins and at completion of work .
• Use a paper towel or a soft cloth soaked with the disinfectant (0.1% sodium
hypochlorite solution) .
• Wipe the work surface going over each area at least twice. Allow to air dry with a
minimum contact time of 5-10 min .
Chemical Hazards:
• Bottles of chemicals and solutions should be handled carefully, and a cart should be
used to transport a heavy container or multiple numbers of containers from one area
to another.
• All bottles containing reagents must be labelled properly.
• The label should bear the name and concentration of reagent, the initial of the
individual who made up the reagent and the date on which the reagent was
prepared.
• The labels should be colour coded or an additional label added to designate specific
storage instructions, such as the need for refrigeration or special storage related to
potential hazard.

8. • A bottle should never be held by its neck, but instead firmly
around its body with one or both hands, depending on size of
the bottle.
• Acids must be diluted through slow addition to water; water
should never be added to concentrated acid.
• If a chemical spill occurs, first assess the toxicity, flammability
and other properties of the material. For flammables, remove or
turn off all ignition sources such as motors, fridges etc.
• Handling Glassware
• Protect hands with leather gloves when inserting glass tubing.
Hold elbows close to the body to limit movement when
handling tubing.
• Do not store glassware near the edge of shelves. • Store large
or heavier glassware on lower shelves.
• Use glassware of the proper size. Allow at least 20% free
space. Grasp a three-neck flask by the middle neck, not a side
neck.
• Do not attempt to catch glassware if it is dropped or knocked
over. •
• Conventional laboratory glassware must never be pressurized.

9. Suggested steps to follow BEFORE starting the centrifuge
• Insure centrifuge bowl and tubes are dry.
• Is the centrifuge spindle clean?
• Avoid overfilling of tubes and bottles
• Insure rotor is properly seated on drive hub. Make sure tubes are properly
balanced in rotor
• Has the rotor been properly secured to drive?
• Is the centrifuge lid shut properly?