Introduction to Safety (level 2 biosafety lab) W1:L2

BSL1/CL1:

laboratories working with infectious agents not
known to cause disease in healthy humans.

BSL2/CL2:

labs handling infectious agents of moderate
potential hazard to personnel or the environment, and required for laboratories working with specimens of blood or body fluids.

BSL3/CL3:

required when working with agents that cause
serious or potentially lethal disease via inhalation. Stringent engineering and safety precautions are required

BSL4/CL4:

highest level of biosafety precautions for working
with agents that can be aerosol transmitted and cause severe, fatal disease in humans.

Risk Groups:

identified for infectious agents based upon
risk to the individual and community and availability of
preventive measures &/or treatment

Group 1:

low individual and community risk

Group 2:

moderate individual and low community risk

Group 3:

high individual and low community risk

Group 4

high individual and community risk

Universal precautions:

Describes work practices required for basic level of
infection control when dealing with patients and specimens.

Prevent the spread of blood-borne pathogens hepatitis and HIV

Body Substance isolation procedures:

Body Fluid + Airborne + Droplet and Contact
Precautions

Describes set of procedures for ALL moist body
substances (not just for Hep and HIV)

Standard Precautions "golden"

Set of precautions that Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) has called for in order to minimize the
risk of infection from a patient or the spread of infection
among patients.

Universal + Body Fluid + Airborne + Droplet and Contact
Precautions

Routine practices and additional precautions:

-Adopted in 1999 in Canada
- Most basic of infection prevention and control practices
-Premise: all Lab samples are potentially infectious
-Used routinely in labs

Includes PPE, risk assessment, standard precautions, hand hygiene, envi. and admist. controls

Under routine practice the employer must:

-Evaluate and develop safe work procedures
-Pre-employment immunization/assessment
-Safety training
-Safety equipment
-Emergency procedures
-Post-accident follow-up

Chain of infection:

1. Infectious agent
2. Reservoir
3. Exit pathway
4. Means of transmission
5. Entry pathway
6. Susceptible host

Exposure occurs when:

-Injection (SHARPS)
-Ingestion (eating)
-Absorption (eyelids are most susceptible)
-Inhalation (breathing)

The use of fume hood and biosafety cabinets
minimizes:

inhalation

3 classes for reducing exposure: Control measures

Engineering controls (most effective)
Administrative controls
Personal control/PPE (least effective)

Engineering:

Remove the hazard

-Fume hood/biosafety cabinet
- Automation on equipment
- Substitution of chemical

Administrative:

Must adhere to rules and practices
-SOP’s
-Training
-Scheduling

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

Last line of defense
-Lab coat
-Gloves
-Eye protection
-Masks

SEMS:

safety-engineered medical sharps
-reduction of up to 76% in needlestick injuries

Chemical Fume Hoods:

used for operations which generate airborne chemical
contaminants (air to outdoors)
No HEPA filter

Composed of hood, duct, fan, stack

-Fan at end of duct exhausts air through stack,
creating negative pressure through to the hood
and preventing contaminants from escaping the
fume hood
-Use while standing

Biological Safety Cabinet:

used when potential for aerosolization of biohazardous
materials (airflow is downwards)
Needs HEPA filter

Dense pleats of glass and fibers filters out biological agents from the air
-Differing HEPA stds for size of particles to be removed
-Due to importance of filter it is certified (tested) at a minimum of annually
-Used in a seated position
-Must be left on for 15-30min after use

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

- gloves
-lab coats
-gowns, aprons
-mask
-goggles/face shield
-respirators
-earplugs
-safety shoes/covers

Lab coats/gowns:

Coats removed when leaving the lab, must be buttoned. Gowns open at back

For most lab work

Aprons:

Chemical/fluid resistant

For work w/chemical, blood borne pathogens where splatter is possible

Goggles/Protective glasses:

Protect against splashes. Worn with certain chemicals, biological hazards, heating tubes, working with contents
under pressure

Gloves:

Handling biological materials, phlebotomy, chemicals, cleaning. Insulated gloves (hot/cold)

3 Types of gloves-

-examination gloves
-oven mitts/gloves
-thermal gloves (freezer)

Masks:

To avoid contaminating cultures (MLT
has a cough)
As required by infection control when
dealing with patients in isolation

Respirators:

When cleaning up chemical spills, when working with biological agents that may be aerosolized

Earplugs/ ear muffs:

Protect against excessive noise exposure

Non-Negotiable Clean-Up Rules:

-Return unused hazardous materials to designated storage locations
- Identify and package all waste materials appropriately
- Dispose of all specimens in the appropriate manner
- Clean up work area and remove any chemical or biohazardous contamination from work surfaces
-Leave contaminated lab coat and lab supplies in lab
-Wash hands using proper hand-washing techniques before leaving the lab
-Ensure lab door is locked when you exit the lab

Due Diligence:

employer’s legal responsibility

-To “do everything reasonable to protect the health and safety of workers”

Components of due diligence:

-Policies well communicated and enforced
-Training of workers
-Develop/communicate safe work procedures
-Record keeping
-Demonstration of enforcement of rules
-Proactive management/corporate and individual accountability

Canada’s Criminal Code (Bill C-45):

reinforces employer’s legal responsibility
-If duty carelessly disregarded and bodily harm or
death results, organization can be charged with criminal negligence

Anyone who has authority to direct how another person does work has a legal duty to prevent bodily harm arising from that work

Transportation of Dangerous Goods
Act, 1992 (TDG):

Regulates transportation of 9 classes of dangerous goods

Class 9:

Miscellaneous products, substances or organisms considered by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council to be dangerous to life, health, property or the environment when transported in a vehicle on a highway and prescribed to be included in this class.

Driver needs to hold a training certificate

NEW WHMIS 2015:

Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) for Workplace Chemicals

GHS goal:

the same set of rules for classifying hazards, and the same format and content for labels and safety data sheets (SDS) will be adopted and used around the world.

Chemical safety (3 main systems)

-hazardous household information
-WHIMS
-TDG

Danger pictorial:

octagon shaped

Caution pictorial:

upside down triangle

Warning pictorial

diamond shape