Why is modern legislation important for laboratory safety?
It provides workers the right to know about hazards and how to control them.
What types of injuries and illnesses have been documented in laboratories?
Cuts, deaths from gas exposure/poisoning/explosions, dermatitis, allergies, eye loss, suicides, burns, cancers, and laboratory-acquired infections.
What types of microorganisms are involved in laboratory-acquired infections?
Bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, fungi, and parasites.
Why are laboratory workers at risk for emerging diseases?
They work on identifying new agents and diseases before adequate safety precautions are known.
What are examples of losses due to laboratory accidents?
Workers’ compensation costs, medical/rehabilitation costs, lost wages, equipment damage, legal fines, shutdowns, poor labor relations, disability, and reputational damage.
What are the four ways to deal with risks in the laboratory?
Tolerate the risk
Treat the risk (modify procedures/equipment)
Terminate the procedure
Transfer the risk (send samples elsewhere)
What is a “loss control measure”?
Any action taken to reduce or eliminate risk in the workplace.
What is occupational hygiene?
A science that anticipates, identifies, evaluates, and recommends controls for workplace hazards.
What are some tools used to identify hazards?
Walk-through surveys, safety data sheets, accident reports, equipment manuals, maintenance records, and literature reviews.
What are the five main categories of hazards in laboratories?
Chemical hazards
Biological hazards
Physical hazards
Ergonomic hazards
Psychological hazards
What is a Task Hazard Analysis?
A process listing critical task steps, identifying hazards for each step, and determining control measures.
What are the steps in a Task Hazard Analysis?
List critical steps of the task
Identify potential hazards
Review available controls
Verify the task and controls
Identify better controls if needed
What is area monitoring used for?
Measuring contaminants in a specific area (e.g., airborne chemicals, biological agents, noise, radiation, temperature).
What is personal monitoring?
Measuring exposure at the worker’s personal exposure zone (e.g., chemical levels, noise dose, radiation dose).
What is biological monitoring?
Measuring hazardous substances in a person or their metabolic effects (e.g., blood lead levels, antibody testing).
What are Permissible Exposure Levels (PELs)?
Government-set standards for safe exposure to chemical and physical agents.
What are Threshold Limit Values (TLVs)?
Published by ACGIH, they represent the highest exposure level most healthy workers can tolerate without ill effects.
Why must TLVs and other standards be carefully interpreted?
They are based on healthy adults in industrial settings and may not protect all individuals or account for lab complexity.
What types of hazards have standards available?
Many chemicals, noise, ionizing/non-ionizing radiation, ergonomic parameters, temperature, pressure, ventilation.
What is the hierarchy of controls?
Engineering controls (most effective)
Administrative controls
Personal protective equipment (PPE) (last line of defense)
Give examples of engineering controls.
Fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, automation, substitution of less toxic substances, radiation shielding.
Give examples of administrative controls.
Safe work procedures, training, scheduling.
Give examples of PPE.
Eye protection, gloves, gowns, respirators, masks.
Where along the hazard path are controls most effective?
At the source (e.g., substituting a toxic reagent) > along the path (e.g., ventilation) > at the worker (e.g., PPE).
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Introduction25
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Introduction Quiz10
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Legislation20
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Legislation Quiz9
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Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems24
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Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Quiz10
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Good Laboratory Safety Practices – The Basics28
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Good Laboratory Safety Practices – The Basics Quiz10
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Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment8
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Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Quiz10
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Biological Hazards110
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Biological Hazards Quiz11
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Chemical Hazards26
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Chemical Hazards Quiz10
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Physical Hazards34
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Laboratory Ergonomics26
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Psychological Hazards33
