2.5 lab safety Flashcards
Mercury spill
1) ? a posion
1) mercury
- heavy metal
- toxic ingested or absorbed via skin
- vaporise inhaled
- avoid skin contact
- attracted to gold, silver, copper
- ventilate area as vapour is rel by globules
- aspirate pipette collect drops dont use vaccum
- adhesive tape
- containment
- store underwater or glycerol
- decontaminate sulfur powder or zinc dust
Mercury
2) approach to spill (generic)
3) checking fluorescence of new lamp
flammable vs caustic
1) Evaluate
- extent/type; minor or major
- notify lab manager/safety officer
- get MSMD/spill kit
2) Evacuate/attend
- mark area/block/ open windows
- wear PPE
- emergency shower
- first aid
- send to ED for attention
3) control/contain
- stop source
- make barrier
- clean up
- - acid/base
- - biological spill
- - flammable liquids- remove ignition source
- - mercury- absorbent
- - radioactive- absorbant, radioactive waste bag
4) Report/monitor
- record incident
- RV meeting
- - root cause, prevention
- - monitor
For mercury
- aspirate mercury using pipette, cover w tamer, dispose in hazardous bin
- dont touch, use strips of adhesive tape
- use mercury absorbent compounds
3) lamp
- check alignment
- QC microscope with fluorescent beads
- check few runs previous patients/known/delta checks
Steps involved in the approach to an incident/mistake
- Investigation
- CAR/incident report
- report error
- immediate corrective/remedial action
- root cause analysis
- preventative measures - Quality manager/quality meetings
- Monitor
- If requires escalation
- consider SAC category
- reviewed by principal scientist, head pathologist, lab quality manager, head representative, chief pathologist
How are different laboratories stratified according to risk groups?
Biosafety level
-CDC/NIH calssifed infectious organisms
Based on human and animal infectious microorganisms risk groups 1-4 depending on how infectious
PC1 – low individual and community risk
PC2 – moderate individual risk but low community risk* most diagnostic labs handling human clinical diagnostic specimens*
- also labs that prep primary cells from human organs or tissues/ in class II BSC
PC3 – high individual risk but low-moderate community risk (eg TB)
PC4 – high individual and community risk (eg Ebola)
PC1 - NO blood or body fluids, open bench, usu student or undergrad teaching
PC2 - Clinical specimens, if aerosols should handle in a safety cabinet I / II , use PPE- hiv, human blood, not open bench
PC3 - High risk of aerosols and airborne infections, separate room, safety cabinet III, PPE
PC4 - Viruses (WHO maximum containment), separate building, controlled access, safety cabinet III, PPE, neg pressure, airlocks clothing-change and shower room
Define a PC2 laboratory and discuss 10 requirements that PC2 labs must follow
GMO?
documents for NATA
risk group organisms
immunology tests /risk groups
PC2 lab mostly works with risk group 2 organisms
- good technique work may be on open bench
- if transmissible by respiratory route then BSC
- limit access to lab
- construction, ventilation, work practices, PPE
- gloves when BSC, handling human blood/body fluids, liquids w potential risk group2 microorganisms
- direct handing of glassware porhibited
2243.3-2010
Name 3 classes of biohazard cabinets
1) Class I – Personal and environment safety
- NOT suitable for sterile work, non sterile air taken inward away from operator
- laminar flow
- Air from the work area filtered through HEPA filter and returned the laboratory
2) Class II – Personal, product and environment safety
- Inflow of air from work opening, then deliver recirculated filtered laminar flow air downwards through work zone by HEPA filtration
3) Class III – Extreme personal, product and environment safety
- For class 4 microorganisms
- Completely enclosed, maintained at negative pressure
- Working through sealed gloves
- two series of HEPA filters, air recirculated or vented to outside
What is a fume cupboard?
Fume Cupboard - Personal safety - limit exposure to toxic fumes, vapor and dust
Partially enclosed
Takes in air from the front (laminar flow)
Expels through an exhaust to outside the building
How are pipettes calibrated?
NATA standard pipettes
Gravimetric scale 6 decimals Calibration software Same temp/humidity/ standard pipette tip pure distilled water Min 2 volumes (top volume/10% volume) x 10 replicates at each volume tested Check precision/cv
6 monthly service (CSLI says 3-6 monthly but depends on use, single vs multi channel)
if fails calibration then service/open- decontaminate
one point calibration for pipette- tweak only one
check precision/cv
NATA accredited pipette calibration technician/can do in house
What is a MSDS?
Material safety data sheet
- describes chemical and physical properties
- uses of a material
- safely handle, transport, store and dispose
- first aid/in a spill
- health hazard information
- fire fighting measure
- exposure control/PPE
- toxicology information
- contact details manufacturer, importer
- date, revision set
safety standards 2243.1
- inventory readily accessible and understandable
uncontrolled document
- review 5 yearly or when there is change to the substance or new health/safety information
What are safe lab practices around radioactive materials?
ionising- dna damaging b/g most important 3T and I125
- Reduce exposure
- preplan to minimise time
- distance keep far, remote
- shielding lead g perspex b
- PPE fume hood
- cover wounds - Storage
- shielding , label w isotope details/date - Documentation
- MSDS access, inventory - Designated work area
- spill trays absorbent material
- warnings, - Protocol for emergency response plan
- incident - Staff training
- handling - Periodic checks/radiation monitoring
- audits/gieger counter for g, surface swabs and b reader for b radiation
- monitor staff exposure with tags - Correct waste disposal
- ?radiation license/radiation safety officer
A pregnant employee does not want to perform radioimmunoassay- what is your approach to this request?
International comission on radiological protection
radiation dose limit is 1mSv per annum (general population)
20mSv occupational averaged over 5 years
- meeting open disclosure
- discussion
- RIA kits- badge not necessary as very small radiation
- likelihood of other excessive exposure
- if possible other duties/ carry on
What are safety standards?
Groups of written guidelines/standards
By Joint technical committee, safety in laboratories, council of standards australia and NZ
Outlines everything PHYSICAL - laboratory structure/building - sunlight exposure, ventilation, amenities for hand washing/breaks, electrical installation - storage of chemicals - fire safety/alarms/spill kits - fume/biohazard cabinets
SYSTEMS lab safety management
- risk assessment
- training and induction
- safet operation
- emergency preparedness
- safety equipment
- information management and review
General
- safety conduct
- PPE use
- substance containment
- general practices
How do you dispose radioactive materials?
- dispose radiation bags, sealed, stored, acc radioactive waste disposal guiddlines
- note half life (time taken to reach BG radiation level) need to calculate this
- depending on levels of radioactive waste need to be stored locally or restricted areas until radioactive levels decline
- low level waste (blotting paper, paper towels) need to be stored in red radioactive bags until levels reach BG
What steps constitute a corrective action?
- Define the problem
- Investigate the problem
- root cause analysis - Rectify immediate harm
- quarantine area/equipment
- ensure safety affected, witness, public - Propose solution
- learning points - Document actions taken
- disseminate, discuss, awareness - Assess effectiveness
- audit/monitor - Close issue
What steps are involved in root cause analysis?
- Identify sequence of events leading to non conformance/incident
- Identify contributing factors
- pre analytical
- analytical
- post analytical
- training/competence
- workflow/equipement/resrouces
- quality
- communication
