1. Safety & Sanitation
8.00 Objs.: Execute sanitation protocol of facilities & Implement aseptic technique to maintain equipment
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2. OSHA Occupational Health and Safety Administration
Government agency housed in U.S Department of Labor
Regulates and monitors employee safety in the workplace
Guidelines to protect employees from injury – Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)

3. OSHA
Manufacturers are required to label their chemicals clearly and apply warnings if the chemical is flammable, corrosive, or poisonous
Must provide an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for every chemical

4. MSDS Must include the following 8 sections: Manufacturer Information
Hazard Ingredients/Identity Information
Physical/Chemical Characteristics
Fire and Explosion Hazard Data
Reactivity Data
Health Hazard Data
Precautions for Safe Handling and Use
Control Measures

5. Types of Safety Hazards
Physical Hazards
Chemical Hazards
Biological Hazards
Zoonotic Hazards

6. Physical Hazards
Physical injuries from animals are the most common type of injury in the vet hospital
Frightened or nervous animals may: bite, kick, scratch
Farm animals may be dangerous due to size
Cats – needle-like teeth and sharp claws can harbor bacteria that may cause illness
Back injuries from improper lifting
Falls on wet floors
Exposure to x-rays

7. Prevention of Physical Hazards
Wearing proper clothing and footwear
Learning animal behavior
Correct handling and restraint techniques

8. Chemical Hazards
Many hazardous chemicals are routinely used in a vet hospital: drugs, cleaning agents, insecticides, anesthetic gases
Can damage skin, eyes, lungs
Some chemicals may cause abortions and/or fetal abnormalities if absorbed in the bloodstream

9. Prevention of Chemical Hazards
Knowing proper use for each substance and using safety measures
Never use chemicals for other than their intended use
Never mix chemicals together

10. Biological Hazards
Include living tissue and organisms, blood, urine, live vaccines
medical waste that has come in contact with living tissue such as: blood or urine soaked blankets, bandage materials, needles, scalpels
Can spread disease from one animal to another or from animals to humans

11. Prevention of Biological Hazards
All “sharps” must be disposed of in a red, sealed container called sharps container
All sharps containers are labeled with biohazard symbol
Medical wastes must be sterilized, incinerated, or chemically disinfected before they are disposed of
Gloves and protective clothing should be worn when handling biohazards

12. Zoonotic Hazards Any disease that can be passed from animals to humans
Viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi can cause zoonotic disease

13. Zoonotic Hazards Viral Diseases Bacterial Diseases Rabies
Sleeping sickness (Encephalitis)
Cat Scratch Fever
Leptospirosis
Salmonellosis
Brucellosis
Anthrax
Tuberculosis

14. Zoonotic Hazards Parasitic Diseases Fungal Diseases Sarcoptic mange
Toxoplasmosis
Visceral Larva Migrans (Toxocariasis)
Creeping Eruption (Ancylostomiasis)
Ringworm

15. Prevention of Zoonotic Hazards
Vaccination of animals and humans
Proper waste disposal
Isolation of infected animals
Proper handling of infected animals
Proper sanitation of hospital
Hand washing
Wearing protective clothing