Laboratory Safety and Waste Disposal Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering laboratory safety, infection control, hazard types, and medical waste disposal protocols based on the lecture notes.

Hazard

A source or a situation with a potential for causing harm, such as physical objects, chemicals, or environmental conditions.

Risk

The potential that a chosen action will lead to an undesirable outcome; calculated as the probability that a hazard occurs combined with the severity of harm.

Biohazard

A potential source of harm caused by biological materials such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and infectious materials from patients.

Chain of Infection

A set of components including a source, reservoir, portal of exit, transmission, and portal of entry that must be complete for an infection to occur.

Vector

A living organism, such as an infected mosquito, that harbors an infectious agent.

Vehicle

Inanimate contaminated objects that transmit infection, such as body fluids or food touched by a fly that was on infected stool.

Immunocompromised

Having a weakened immune system that cannot fight off viruses, bacteria, and other germs as well as a normal system can.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

The agency that ensures safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, outreach, and education.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

A federal agency that conducts and supports health promotion, prevention, and preparedness activities.

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)

An organization that provides guidelines for writing standard procedures and policies in the clinical laboratory.

Universal Precautions (UP)

Developed by the CDC in 1985; guidelines that assume all blood and most body fluids are potentially infectious.

Body Substance Isolation (BSI)

Infection control strategy that assumes all blood and body fluids spread disease and requires gloves for contact with any body substance.

Standard Precautions

Released by the CDC in 1996; a combination of Universal Precautions and Body Substance Isolation recommendations.

Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

A standard published by OSHA in 1991 to protect healthcare workers from exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis

Evaluative treatment that should be initiated within $24\,hrs$ following an accidental exposure incident.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee for protection against infectious material, including gloves, gowns, and face shields.

N95

A NIOSH-approved respirator required when entering rooms of patients with pulmonary TB and other airborne transmission diseases.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

A globally harmonized system (GHS) standard $16$-section document mandated by OSHA to provide chemical information.

Radioactive Hazard Mitigation

Minimizing radiation exposure through the combination of time, distancing, and shielding.

RACE

The code word for the initial steps upon discovering a fire: Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish/Evacuate.

Ergonomic Hazards

Repetitive tasks in the laboratory that put stress on the body, causing disorders in posture or position.

Medical Waste

Waste generated as a result of patient diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals.

Sharps Hazard

Category of medical waste including needles, broken glass, and capillary tubes that must be placed in puncture-resistant, leakproof containers.

Waste Storage Time

The period for holding medical waste, which should be minimized to $<24\,hrs$ before treatment to prevent odor and microbial growth.

Treated Biological Waste disposal

Liquid waste may be sewer disposed and solid waste put in landfills; sharps must be shredded and made unrecognizable before being landfilled.