Laboratory Acquired Infections, LAIs, are difficult to track but are a true concern for many biological laboratories. Conducting thorough risk assessments to address potential hazards is a critical step in reducing the potential for LAIs.
Hazard assessments must be conducted to identify the physical and health hazards present in the workplace. This is a well known fact, but the next step is to provide all of the necessary personal protective equipment required to protect employees from the identified hazards.
The use of fresh blood drawn from company employees is sometimes required when timelines in experiments are too tight to use of an outside blood supply vendor. Whenever possible, it is preferred that an outside blood supply vendor be used rather than an in-house blood donation program being established.
Everyone is busy, especially during a holiday week when busy schedules become even more compacted. We had a very long winter, and everyone I know is more than ready for summer! It is tempting to take short cuts or skip steps in established procedures to save a few minutes.
When vacating lab space, it is necessary to determine the level of decontamination or decommissioning necessary far in advance of the exit date. Of course there are many details involved in decontaminating a lab space, but the overall level required is the first question to be answered.
Have you heard that May 4-15, 2015 marks the second annual National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction? OSHA began this awareness campaign due to falls from elevation being the leading cause of death for construction workers.
The annual “national day for the environment”, Earth Day, is happening tomorrow, April 22, 2015. I think everyone knows and agrees that environmental awareness should be a part of daily life. Following are some tips for integrating your EHS program into the daily life of employees at your facility.
Does your biosafety program include a detailed post-exposure policy that clearly specifies the steps to follow in the event of an exposure incident? The last thing you want to be doing following an incident involving an exposure to potentially infectious material, or material known to be infectious, is figuring out the comprehensive steps to take.
If there are oxygen monitors present in your facility, do you have an established policy on what the proper response to an alarm sounding should be? The normal concentration of oxygen in the air is approximately 20.9%.
Are there employees using air guns for cleaning purposes at your facility? If so, are you aware of the OSHA stipulations regarding the safe use of compressed air?
Everyone knows flammable cabinets are used to store flammable liquids and other flammable materials. But do you know the importance of properly securing the shelving? Numerous chemical spills have resulted from flammable cabinet shelves collapsing.
A Chemical Hygiene Plan is required for companies falling under OSHA’s Lab Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1450, while a Hazard Communication Plan fulfills the requirements found in OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200. Is your Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) updated as hazards, procedures, and policies change, or is it a stagnant document that is reviewed annually at best?
