Safety Measures to be Followed in a Laboratory (With Technician’s Responsibilities)

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In this article we will discuss about some of the safety measures to be followed in microbiology laboratory. Also learn about the job duties and tasks for clinical laboratory technician.

Safety Measures in Laboratory:

When a person is working in laboratory, he/she is not expected to be safe from the hazards and accidents until he is aware of it. He is always in risk to acquire infection, which is acquired through nasal and oral cavity, through cut and broken skin, through ophthalmic and optic region, through urinary tract etc.

The Hazards in the Lab:

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1. Infection

2. Burns

3. Cuts and pricks

4. Hazards of toxic chemicals

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5. Electric shocks.

The workers or the technician or doctor working in the laboratory or in the operation theatre, may acquire infection or disease through the use of contaminated and infected equipment and chemicals. He may acquire intestinal, bronco, dermal, oral, urinary tract infections through various ways.

In order to save him from such acquirements one should follow the given precautions:

Precautions:

Working in the laboratory one should:

1. Put on appropriate and sterile uniform i.e. apron, mask, cap, gloves, shoe Covers etc.

2. Avoid of eating something in the lab or chewing gums, so as to avoid orally acquirement of infection.

3. Avoid smoking to check explosion from highly inflammable explosives.

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4. Avoid pipetting orally as the same may enable one to engulf the contaminated specimen and hence the infection.

5. Avoid using used and unsterilized needles and catheters, syringes etc. for collections of specimen.

6. Cuts and pricks should be covered with sterile water proof adhesive to avoid entry of infect ants.

7. Finger tips should always be clean and nails should be removed properly.

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8. One should check the expiry of reagents and chemicals to avoid lab accidents and hazards.

9. One should properly disinfect the lab daily before use.

10. One should keep disinfectant at an appropriate place to use.

11. One should be aware of first aid and fire extinguishing system.

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12. The chemicals and disinfectants should always be kept at proper place after every use to avoid accident.

13. One should keep chemicals in the fridge, after each use to avoid developing extra pressure in the raised temperature and to avoid accident.

14. Precaution sign should be labeled on all radioactive chemicals and acids.

15. Improper or defective equipment should not be used.

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16. Fire extinguishers, fire blankets, first Aid supplies, wash basins and safety showers should always be in the laboratory.

17. Special precautions should be instructed to save one from HIV-AIDS, Hepatitis and other communicable diseases with care.

18. Instruments must be well maintained and serviced.

19. Equipment must be properly installed to avoid electric shocks.

20. There should be a proper way to dispose the medical wastes, to avoid contamination and pollution. They should either be buried in deep or incinerated and handled.

The practice of medical laboratory science is associated with hazards and accidents. The hazards can be made during the wrong handling through infection burns, cuts and electric shocks. All the work is done in lab with the help of some laboratory equipment so they must be handled properly for good results.

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Hazards in the Laboratory:

The hazards and accidents in the laboratory may be discussed under the following areas:

1. Infection

2. Burns

3. Cuts

4. Hazards of toxic chemicals

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5. Electric shocks.

1. Infection:

Infections in the lab can occur in different ways, but the commonest causes are:

i. Inhalation of pathogens through in-borne droplets or aerosols which are released during breakage or spitting of infectious fluids, pipetting off infectious materials.

ii. Ingestion of pathogens through contaminated foods.

iii. Ingestion of pathogens through mouth pipetting.

2. Burns:

Burns sustained in the lab may be caused by:

i. Inflammable substances, catching fire.

ii. Fires from Bunsen burners, spirit lamps etc.

iii. Swallowing of corrosive substances during pipetting.

3. Cuts and Pricks:

It may be resulted from:

i. Edges of broken glassware’s

ii. Edge of a knife.

iii. Accidental pricking with needle and such other apparatuses.

4. Hazards of Toxic Chemical:

It may be resulted from:

i. Inhalation of forms of toxic chemicals.

ii. Swallowing or ingesting toxic chemicals during mouth pipetting.

iii. Skin contact with toxic chemicals.

5. Electrics Shocks:

i. It is usually due to ignorance or carelessness and also caused by faulty electrical circuits.

ii. Incorrect installation of equipment

iii. Touching exposed live wires.

Safety Precautions against Infection:

1. Keep your work place clean and not crowded. The table surface must be smooth. Washbasin must be clean. Always keep the disinfectant on the working bench.

2. Practice safely is to follow the rules of personal hygiene. Eating, drinking smoking should be prohibited, always wear gloves, masks and apron in the lab.

3. Sterilization of needles and loops may be dangerous through flames, it must be done precautionally.

4. Only immunized lab personnel should be allowed to work in the laboratory.

Responsibilities of Laboratory Technician:

Job Duties and Tasks for “Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technician”:

1. Conduct chemical analyses of body fluids, such as blood and urine, using microscope or automatic analyzer to detect abnormalities or diseases, and enter findings into computer.

2. Set up, adjust, maintain and clean medical laboratory equipment.

3. Analyze the results of tests and experiments to ensure conformity to specifications, using special mechanical and electrical devices.

4. Analyze and record test data to issue reports that use charts, graphs and narratives.

5. Perform medical research to further control and cure disease.

6. Conduct blood tests for transfusion purposes and perform blood counts.

7. Obtain specimens, cultivating, isolating and identifying microorganisms for analysis.

8. Examine cells stained with dye to locate abnormalities.

9. Collect blood or tissue samples from patients, observing principles of asepsis to obtain blood sample.

10. Consult with a pathologist to determine a final diagnosis when abnormal cells are found.

11. Inoculate fertilized eggs, broths, or other bacteriological media with organisms.

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12. Cut, stain and mount tissue samples for examination by pathologists.

13. Supervise and instruct other technicians and laboratory assistants.

14. Prepare standard volumetric solutions and reagents to be combined with samples, following standardized formulas or experimental procedures.

15. Prepare vaccines and serums by standard laboratory methods, testing for virus inactivity and sterility.

16. Test raw materials, processes and finished products to determine quality and quantity of materials or characteristics of a substance.

Objectives:

The Technicians Must Knew Well:

1. The lab rules and regulations for the people handling the bacterial or microbial specimen.

2. The care and maintenance of laboratory equipment, during the operation of laboratory.

3. Identify the safety measures in microbiology lab.

4. Understand the role of first aid kit in lab area.

5. Comprehend the use, of radiation.

6. Assess the process of decontamination.

7. Understand various hazards in lab.

8. Take care of preventive measures to skip injury in microbiology lab.

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