Facilities and

Safety

• ISO 15189:2012
5.2 Accommodation and environmental
conditions
• ISO 15190
 Learning Objectives
At the end of this module, participants will
be able to:
 Relate how facility design impacts the efficiency
and safety of laboratory workers
 Describe practices to prevent or reduce risks
 List personal protective equipment (PPE) that
should be used routinely by lab workers
 Explain general safety requirements for the
laboratory
 Describe steps to take in response to emergencies
such as biological or chemical spills, or laboratory
fires

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 2

 Scenario
Your lab specializes in virology. There is an epidemic of H5N1
in your country and the Ministry of Health names your
laboratory as the reference laboratory for processing all
samples.
What are the elements to consider ensuring biosafety in
your laboratory?

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 3

 The Quality Management System

Organization Personnel Equipment

Purchasing Information
Process
& Management
Control
Inventory

Documents Occurrence
& Management Assessment
Records

Process Customer
Improvement Service
Facilities
&
Safety

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 4

 Laboratory Accident

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 5

 Secondary effects of a laboratory
accident
 Loss of staff confidence
 Loss of reputation
 Loss of customers/loss of income
 Increased costs litigation, insurance

Negligence
of laboratory safety is costly!

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 6

 EVERYONE

is responsible for quality and safety

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 7
 All diagnostic
and health care
laboratories
must be designed
and organized for
Biosafety level 2
or above

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 8

 Laboratory design
 Path followed by the sample
 reception and registration of patients
 sampling rooms
 dispatch between different laboratories
 analysis of samples

 Report delivery, filing

 Service rooms

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 9

9
 Common room,
stairs to offices

Gynaecological
samples

Blood clotting
Wash
room Blood
samples
Hematology

Biochemistry

Disinfection

Bacteriology

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 10

 Registration desk

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 11

 Safety during
service
no unauthorized persons
no friends
no children
no animals

Please
CLOSE
the DOOR

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 12

 Sample collection room

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 13

 Common room,
stairs to offices

Gynaecological
samples
collection
Blood
clotting
Blood
samples
Hematology
collection

Wash
Biochemistry room

Patient

Reception

Disinfection

Bacteriology

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 14

 Common room,
stairs to offices
Gynaecological
samples
collection
Blood clotting

Blood
samples
Hematology
collection

Wash
Biochemistry
room

Sample
Reception

Disinfection
Bacteriology

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 15

 Segregated areas

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 16

 Stock room

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 17

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 18
18
 Doors and large equipment

Main
Door

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 19

 Common room,
stairs to offices

Gynaecological
samples
Blood collection
clotting
Blood
Hematology samples
collection

Wash
Biochemistry room

Waste

Reception
Disinfection
Bacteriology

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 20

 Premises
 high ceiling with good ventilation
 walls and ceiling
 use washable, glossy paint
 easy to clean and disinfect
 floor
 easy to clean and disinfect

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 21

21
Benchtops
 non-porous covering, easy to clean,
resistant to chemicals and
disinfectants
 no wood, no steel

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 22

22
Benches and working space

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 23

 Scheduled Cleaning
 daily
 bench tops
 floors
 weekly
 ceiling and walls
 other
 refrigerators
 freezers
 storage areas
 record date and cleaning staff

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 24

24
 Safety Management

 Responsible: Safety Officer

 Safety Manual: laboratory-specific
 Standard Operating Procedures
 Trained personnel
 potential risks
 safety procedures
 Waste Management

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 25

 General Safety Equipment

shower
eye washer fire safety PPE

waste disposal
Facilities and Safety - Module 2 26
 Standard Safety Practices
DO NOT-

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 27

 Standard Safety Practices
DO-

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 28

Safety Signs

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 29

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 30
 Laboratory Hazards

 Physical

 Chemical

 Biological

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 31

 needles,
syringes

Bites, broken
scratches glass,
Accidents,
animal or
ectoparasites sharps
injuries

Aspiration
Spills,
through
sprays pipettes

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 32

 Physical Hazards

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 33

 Needles, Broken Glass, and Sharps
 do not recap needles
 always use puncture-resistant, leakproof,
sharps containers
 always use specific waste disposal containers
 never directly handle broken glass

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 34

 Do you see anything wrong?

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 35

Do NOT reuse disposable injection equipment

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 36

 Chemical Hazards
Biosafety Level 1 and 2 laboratories
Separate cabinets for storage:
 spill containment cabinet
 hazardous waste storage
 flammable liquids storage

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 37

 Material Safety Data Sheet

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 38

 Biological Hazards
Aerosols and droplets are the main
sources of contamination

39
Facilities and Safety - Module 2 MODIFIED SLIDE 41->42
 Contamination Routes

Ocular invasion

Inhalation

Ingestion

Skin penetration

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 40

 Personal Protective Equipment
BSL 1 and 2
 laboratory coat
 gloves
 goggles or face shield
 masks
 hearing protection

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 41

Chemical Spills
 anything beyond a minor
spill and requiring help from
outside of the laboratory group
constitutes a major spill
Minor spill

Major spill
Facilities and Safety - Module 2 42
 Biological Spills

Spill Exercises

Spill
Exercises

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 43

 Laboratory Fire Safety
Learn how to operate a portable
fire extinguisher

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 44

ISO standard and WHO-
AFRO check list
 WHO AFRO checklist
 Is the size of the laboratory
adequate and the overall
layout of the laboratory
organized so that
workstations are positioned
for optimal workflow?
 Are the patient care and
testing areas of the
laboratory distinctly
separate from one another?
ISO standard
 The laboratory floor plan
should be configured to
promote high quality work,
personnel safety and efficient
operations.
ISO 15189: 5.2.2
 “There shall be effective
separation between adjacent
laboratory sections in which
there are incompatible
activities. Measures shall be
taken to prevent cross-
contamination.”
ISO 15189: 5.2.6
 WHO AFRO checklist
 Is the physical work
environment appropriate for
testing?
ISO standard
 The laboratory space should be
sufficient to ensure the quality of
work, safety of personnel and the
ability of staff to carry out quality
control procedures and
documentation. The laboratory
should be clean and well organized,
free of clutter, well ventilated,
adequately lit and within acceptable
temperature ranges.
ISO 15189: 5.2.5 and 5.2.10
 WHO AFRO checklist
 Is the laboratory properly
secured from unauthorized
access with appropriate
signage?
 Is a laboratory safety
manual available, accessible
and up-to-date?
ISO standard
 The access of unauthorized persons
to the laboratory should be strictly
limited to avoid the unnecessary
contact of individuals with
contaminated areas, reagents or
equipment. Unnecessary traffic
should not disturb workflow or
distract staff members.
ISO 15189: 5.2.7
 A safety manual should be readily
available in work areas as
required reading for all
employees. The manual should be
specific to the laboratory's needs;
it should be reviewed and updated
at least annually by laboratory
management.
ISO 15190: 7.4
 WHO AFRO checklist
 Is the work area clean and
free of leakage and spills,
and are disinfection
procedures conducted and
documented?
ISO standard
 The work area should be
regularly inspected for
cleanliness and leakage. An
appropriate disinfectant
should be used. At a minimum,
all bench tops and working
surfaces should be disinfected
at the beginning and end of
every shift. All spills should be
contained immediately and the
work surfaces disinfected.
ISO 15189: 5.2.10; ISO
15190:13
WHO AFRO checklist ISO standard

 Are hazardous
 All hazardous chemicals must be
labeled with the chemical’s name
chemicals/materials and with hazard markings clearly
properly handled? indicated. Flammable chemicals
must be stored out of sunlight and
below their flashpoint, preferably
in a still cabinet in a well-
ventilated area. Flammable and
corrosive agents should be
separated from one another.
Distinct care should always be
taken to handle hazardous
chemicals safety in the workplace.
ISO 15190: 17.1 and 17.3
 WHO AFRO checklist ISO standard
 It is the responsibility of laboratory
management to ensure that the
 Is standard safety laboratory is equipped with standard
equipment available safety equipment. Biosafety cabinets
and in use in the should be in place and in use and all
centrifuges should have covers.
laboratory?
Hand-washing stations should be
designated and equipped and
eyewash stations (or an acceptable
alternative method of eye cleansing)
should be available and operable.
Spill kits and first aid kits should be
kept in a designated place and
checked regularly for readiness.
ISO 15190: 5.1
 WHO AFRO checklist
 All occupational injuries or
 Are occupational injuries,
medical screening or
illnesses documented in
the safety occurrence log?
ISO standard
illnesses should be thoroughly
investigated and documented in
the safety log or occurrence log,
depending on the laboratory.
Corrective actions taken by the
laboratory in response to an
accident or injury must also be
documented.
 Summary
Safety is dependent on:
 a responsible supervisor
 a safety manual and SOPs
 trained personnel
 assessment of risks
 laboratory design

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 53

 Summary

When designing a laboratory or

organizing workflow, ensure that
patients and patient samples do not
have common pathways

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 54

 Key Message
Neglecting laboratory safety is costly.

It jeopardizes the lives and health of

employees and patients, and jeopardizes
laboratory reputation, equipment, and
facilities.

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 55

 Organization Personnel Equipment

Purchasing
&
Process Information Questions?
Control Management
Inventory

Comments?
Documents Occurrence
& Assessment
Management
Records

Process Customer Facilities

Improvement Service &
Safety

Facilities and Safety - Module 2 56