Archive for: Lab Safety
What to do with plants in the lab
Q: Our facilities manager is questioning if we should have plants in the lab. They are not on the work bench and are away from any contaminated areas. We have gone through many lab inspections without comments on this, but I would like to follow up on his concern.
A: It’s not uncommon to see plants throughout any medical facility, including the lab. They add to the atmosphere of your facility, and often provide a better experience for patients and workers.
H1N1 safety guidelines for the lab
With all the commotion surrounding safety and infection control recommendations for front line staff faced with the H1N1 virus, it’s easy to forget about some of the behind-the-scenes laboratory workers that will inevitably be working with the virus at some point.
On August 15 the CDC updated its interim biosafety guidelines for lab workers. This document specifies two particular updates:
Here’s one reason for lab workers should get the smallpox vaccine
A recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) illustrated why it’s advisable for lab workers exposed to vaccinia virus (VACV) to receive a smallpox vaccine.
VACV is the live viral component of smallpox vaccine. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends the vaccine for lab workers who handle nonhighly attenuated VACV strains and other orthopoxviruses such as monkeypox, cowpox, or variola).
UCLA report details lab safety improvements
A UCLA report released last week seems to be the final chapter on an extensive and well-publicized lab safety incident dating back to the beginning of the year.
Chancellor Gene Block commissioned a campus-wide laboratory safety committee after a staff research associate died in January from injuries suffered in a lab fire on December 29, 2008. The committee was asked to assess safety programs and make recommendations to avoid further safety related incidents.
It’s a lab, not a library
Is there an OSHA regulation concerning employees bringing reading material (novels, textbooks) into the lab and then taking it out at the end of the shift?
The urine container disposal conundrum
Recently I received a number of emails from colleagues around the country regarding the disposal of urine containers.
This is a tricky topic because it really depends on the policy at your workplace. OSHA only requires that you dispose of urine containers in red bags if they are contaminated with blood.
Yet another UCLA lab update
The investigation concerning a UCLA laboratory fire that resulted in the death of staff research associate Sheharbano (Sheri) Sangji in December continues to unfold, drawing in occupational safety, laboratory, and even legal ties.
Last month UCLA paid more than $31,000 in fines levied against them by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) and then appealed the state regulator’s findings. The appeal was intended to show that UCLA admits no fault in connection with the findings, according to Kevin Reed, vice chancellor for legal affairs at UCLA.
However on Friday UCLA pulled a 180 and decided to withdraw its appeal, according to the Los Angeles Times. Reed told the Times on Monday that the appeal was not worth the “hue and cry” it had raised from family members and the union that represents Sangji.
A fashion faux pas in the laboratory
We’ve all seen how fashion trends can sometimes infiltrate the laboratory or medical facility. Crocs, for example, have been one of the most debated fashion statements in the healthcare setting.
So it’s no surprise that a certain style of scrubs have fallen into this category as well.
I recently received a question regarding capri style scrub pants (which cut off just below the knees). This supervisor wanted to know if laboratory techs and phlebotomists are allowed to wear these as long as they wear closed-toe shoes.
Laboratory recordkeeping requirements
Since this blog began there have been a number of questions regarding record keeping. OSHA requires specific records for laboratories, each with designated retention, so keeping track of them can be tricky.
But these records are a requirement during an inspection. ISO 15189: 2003 contains specific requirements for medical labs, but these standards are not required by law. Therefore you must pay particular attention to recordkeeping requirements from federal authorities such as OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the Joint Commission and CAP if you are an accredited facility.
An interesting appeal process
After making the required changes and paying more than $31,000 in fines levied against them by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), UCLA has appealed state regulators’ findings regarding the fatal burning of a laboratory research assistant last year, according to the Los Angeles Times.
