Chapter 4 - Laboratory Safety

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to laboratory safety, including sterilization, disinfection, chemical hygiene, fire safety, biosafety levels, PPE, and infectious waste shipping.

Sterilization

Process that kills all forms of life. Examples include incineration, moist or dry heat, filtration, and gamma radiation.

Disinfection

Process during which most pathogenic organisms are destroyed. Can be physical (boiling, pasteurizing, UV light) or chemical (alcohols, aldehydes, phenolic compounds).

Antiseptic

Disinfectants specifically used on living tissue.

Chemical Hygiene Plan

A required plan for each laboratory outlining guidelines for labeling, SDSs, and chemical safety training programs.

Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)

Formerly MSDSs, these provide information on the nature of a chemical, precautions for spills, and disposal recommendations.

RACE (Fire Safety)

An acronym for steps to take during a fire: Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate.

PASS (Fire Extinguisher)

An acronym for the proper way to use a fire extinguisher: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.

Type A Fire Extinguisher

Used for fires involving ordinary combustible materials (e.g., wood, paper).

Type B Fire Extinguisher

Used for fires involving flammable liquids and gases (e.g., grease, oil).

Type C Fire Extinguisher

Used for fires involving energized electrical equipment.

Type ABC Fire Extinguisher

A multi-purpose extinguisher used for ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids and gases, and electrical fires.

Exposure Control Plan

Identifies hazardous tasks and promotes safety through employee education, waste disposal, standard precautions, engineering controls, PPE, and a postexposure plan.

Standard (Universal) Precautions

Requires treating blood and body fluids from every patient as potentially infectious, emphasizing barriers and hand washing.

Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1)

Appropriate for work with viable microorganisms not known to consistently cause disease in healthy adults, posing minimal hazard.

Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2)

Appropriate for work involving agents that pose moderate hazards to personnel and the environment.

Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3)

Appropriate for work with indigenous or exotic agents that may cause serious or potentially lethal disease via inhalation.

Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4)

Appropriate for work with dangerous and exotic agents that pose a high risk of aerosol-transmitted laboratory infections and life-threatening disease.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Equipment usually including gloves, fluid-resistant laboratory coats, protective eyewear, and respiratory protection to minimize exposure to hazards.

Category A (Infectious Agent Shipping)

An infectious substance capable of causing permanent disability, life-threatening, or fatal disease to humans or animals when exposure occurs during transport.

Category B (Infectious Agent Shipping)

An infectious substance which does not meet the criteria for classification as Category A.