INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL

PROTECTING LAB STAFF FROM LABORATORY

ACQUIRED INFECTIONS (LAI)

Manuel Giraldo. MLS, MHA

IFC Consultant and Lab Expert

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

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 LABORATORY ACQUIRED INFECTIONS
INTERESTING FACTS

An estimated 500,000 laboratory workers in the United States are at risk of exposure to infectious
agents that cause disease ranging from inapparent to life-threatening infections. (1)

Study conducted in 3921 LAI cases, 2465 occurred in the United States and 164 were fatal.
Analysis of the available information revealed that only 18% of the infections were due to known
accidents; 42% were caused by bacteria; 27% by viruses; 15% by rickettsiae; 9% by fungi; 3% by
chlamydiae; and 3% by parasites. (2)
1. Sewell, DL. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 01 Jul 1995, 8(3):389-405
2. 2. Pike, RM. Health Lab Sci. 1976 Apr;13(2):105-14

Baron and Miller, indicated of the organisms causing laboratory-acquired infections in a

survey, Shigella was the most common, followed by Brucella, Salmonella, and
Staphylococcus aureus.

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 LOSSES AND COSTS

While productivity and quality control are usually considered major controls to
decrease loss, inadequate attention to laboratory safety may also lead to
significant losses. (3)
Examples of losses and costs:

➢ Working compensation costs

➢ Medical costs
➢ Rehabilitation cots
➢ Loss of injured worker’s wages
➢ Loss of admin time
➢ Loss of time related to hiring and training a replacement worker
➢ Illegal fines or penalties
➢ Shutdown of operations due to a major incident
➢ Poor labour relations
➢ Pain and suffering to the ill employee
➢ etc.

3. CSMLS Laboratory Safety Guidelines 8th Ed

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 LABORATORY TYPES
(RISK CLASSIFICATION)

GMT: Good Microbiological Technique

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 LAB HAZARDS-ISO 15190
BIOLOGICAL, OTHER HAZARDS

BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

Exposure route:
- Inoculation
- Inhalation
- Digestion.

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 HAZARD CONTROL
(Collecting, Handling, Processing and Disposing)

Type of Control Examples

Engineering Fume hoods, biosafety cabinets,

automated sampling on equipment,
(isolate people from the centrifuges with lockable lids,
hazard) shields, self-sheathing needles,
automated planting devices.

Administrative Safe works policies and

(change the way people work) procedures, training, scheduling.

PPE (protect the worker) Eye protection, gloves, gowns,

respiratory mask.

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 MORE CONTROLS: ADMINISTRATIVE AND PPE
ISO 15190:2020

SAFE PERSONNNEL WORK PRACTICES PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

14.1 Food, drink and like substances 15.2 Protective clothing in the laboratory

14.4 Personal property 15.3 Protective clothing outside the laboratory

14.6 Hand hygiene 15.4 Face and body protection

14.8 Sharps 15.5 and 15.6 Gloves and Footwear

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 Thank you!

Manuel Giraldo*
IFC Healthcare Quality Assurance
*Specialist in International Laboratory Standards

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