Safety Concerns & OSHA Standards Ms. Nelson, LVT Required Reading: Chapter 1 – Laboratory Procedures for Veterinary Technicians, seventh Edition

Key terms you will be expected to know: Biohazard Bloodborne Pathogen Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) Engineering Controls Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Zoonoses Biohazard: substances that pose a threat to humans/animals (examples: virus/toxins) Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms such as viruses or bacteria that are carried in blood and can cause disease Chemical Hygiene Plan : written program that helps prevent people from hazardous chemicals Engineering Controls: eliminate or reduce exposure to a chemical/hazard (example: using a fume hood when handling chemicals) Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a document that contains information on the potential hazards (health, fire, reactivity and environmental) and how to work safely with the chemical product Zoonoses: body fluids, feces, skin scrapings

After this chapter you will be expected to know the following Explain the requirements of a chemical hygiene plan Identify mechanisms for minimizing exposure to hazards in the veterinary laboratory Describe general concerns related to designing a laboratory Identify, use and care for PPE Discuss criteria for evaluating Internet resources

How to ensure laboratory safety: Everyone working in the lab should be aware of procedures and precautions for use and maintenance of equipment. There should be adequate safety equipment and supplies and EVERYONE should be advised to their location, how they work, and the indications for their use. Laboratory safety policies MUST be in writing and placed in an accessible location within the clinical laboratory area. Signs should be posted to notify employees that eating, drinking, applying cosmetics and adjusting contact lenses within the lab is prohibited.

Safety equipment and supplies Fire extinguishers Spill cleanup kits Hazardous and biohazard waste disposal containers Protective gloves Eyewash station ALL EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE LOCATION OF THESE ITEMS AND AWARE OF THEIR LOCATIONS Biohazardous waste is also known as infectious waste. Examples include human and animal blood, tissues, and certain body fluids, and human, animal or plant pathogens Hazardous: dangerous but not infectious, Examples include chemicals Container labeling: when chemicals are placed in a different container it must be labeled.

Occupational safety and health administration (osha) OSHA mandates specific laboratory practices that must be incorporated into the laboratory safety policy. The regulations are focused on protecting the health and safety of employees. OSHA is responsible for determining and enforcing protective standards

Employer responsibilities Comply with all relevant OSHA standards Correct any safety and health hazards in the workplace Educate employees about any potential workplace hazards Provide training to employees regarding chemical and other health and safety hazards Provide required personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees Maintain accurate records of work related injuries and illnesses Post specific OSHA posters, citations and injury illness data They have training programs where they have documentation that the employee understands how to use the PPE

OSHA Quick cards

Controlling potential hazards Can be categorized into four types 1. Engineering controls 2. Administrative controls Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) 3. Procedural controls 4. PPE Engineering Controls: eliminate or reduce exposure to a chemical/hazard (example: using a fume hood when handling chemicals) Administration controls: creation of specific protocols to minimize worker exposure to hazards. Chemical Hygiene Plan: written program that helps prevent people from hazardous chemicals Procedure controls: involve the development of policies that modify worker behavior. Example: include restriction from mouth pipetting and using less dangerous substances when feasible.

Chemical hygiene officers OSHA requires that one individual in the laboratory facility is responsible for implementing the required Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP). This person is termed the CHO (Chemical Hygiene Officer) Chemical Hygiene Plan : written program that helps prevent people from hazardous chemicals

Safety Data sheets (SDS) Must be accessible to ALL employees Worker training programs regarding the use of PPE when dealing with hazardous chemicals Labels must be placed on containers of hazardous chemicals Workplace Safety Program (DOVE) 3 mins Workplace Safety Committee (DOVE) 3 mins

sds continued. Minimum information required by osha Manufacturer name and contact information Hazardous ingredients/identity information Physical/chemical characteristics Fire and explosion hazard data Reactivity data Health hazard data Precautions for safe handling and use Control measures Contact info for every manufacture- so if anything spills/gets in their eyes Reactivity data: if there's any reactions with other chemicals (ammonia and bleach…big no…makes gas…can’t breathe) Control measures: controlling lab itself BOX 1.1

Other potentially infectious materials Human bloodborne pathogens Zoonoses: diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms such as viruses or bacteria that are carried in blood and can cause disease In-House Disposal of Leptospirosis Urine (DOVE)

Personal Protective Equipment (ppe)

Biosafety hazard considerations There are four levels of Biosafety I – agents that do not ordinarily cause disease in humans II – Potential to cause disease in humans if handled incorrectly III – Substances that can cause serious and potentially lethal diseases IV – Agents in this category pose a high risk of causing life-threatening diseases (shower in/out procedures, full body suits, and positive air supply required) Level 1: dawn soap/Vaccines administered to animals/cleaning agents/species specific disease (canine hepatitis) Make note people with an immune deficiency may have a reaction Level 2: Rubbing alcohol: doesn’t cause disease, just reaction/poor in eye (example anything that can be absorbed through mm), usually low Aerosolized exposure Level 3:Cleaning solution: not diluting, could get sick from fumes/ Mycobacterium tuberculosis: disease that effects the lungs (high aerosolized exposure) Level 4: chemo drugs/ Ebola: A virus that causes severe bleeding, organ failure, and can lead to death

Laboratory design Located in an area separate from other hospital operations Well lit Large enough to accommodate equipment Sufficient countertop space Consistent room temperature Draft free Drafts carry dust, which could contaminate or interfere with test results

Every laboratory should have the following components Sink Storage space Electrical supply Internet access Sink: a place where we can rinse, drain, or discard fluids Storage: to avoid clutter/refrigerator/freezer should be readily available as well Internet: they need it to send critical results/can even send photos of samples if needed

Safety Evacuation Plan (DOVE) 4 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxuIWkXmXkE (OSHA video)