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
Gynaecologic
al samples
Blood
clotting Was
hroo Blood
m samples
Hematolog
y
Biochemist
ry
Disinfecti
on
Bacteriolog
y
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
Gynaecologic
al samples
collection
Blood
clotting
Blood
samples
Hematolog
collection
y
Was
Biochemist hroo
ry m
Patien
t
Reception
Disinfecti
on
Bacteriolog
y
Facilities and Safety - Module 2 14
Common
room, stairs
to offices
Gynaecologic
al samples
collection
Blood
clotting
Blood
samples
Hematolog
collection
y
Was
Biochemist
hroo
ry
m
Sample
Reception
Disinfectio
n
Bacteriolog
y
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
Gynaecologic
al samples
Blood collection
clotting
Blood
Hematolog samples
y collection
Was
Biochemist hroo
ry m
Waste
Reception
Disinfecti
on
Bacteriolog
y
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
Electrical
Radiation
Facilities and Safety - Module 2 31
needles,
syringes
Bites, broken
scratches glass,
animal or
ectoparasites Accidents, 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
Facilities and Safety - Module 2 MODIFIED SLIDE 41->42 39
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 ISO standard
Is the size of the laboratory The laboratory floor plan
adequate and the overall should be configured to
layout of the laboratory promote high quality work,
personnel safety and efficient
organized so that operations.
workstations are positioned ISO 15189: 5.2.2
for optimal workflow?
“There shall be effective
Are the patient care and separation between adjacent
laboratory sections in which
testing areas of the
there are incompatible
laboratory distinctly activities. Measures shall be
separate from one another? taken to prevent cross-
contamination.”
ISO 15189: 5.2.6
WHO AFRO checklist ISO standard
Is the physical work The laboratory space should be
environment appropriate for sufficient to ensure the quality of
testing? 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 ISO standard
The access of unauthorized persons
Is the laboratory properly to the laboratory should be strictly
secured from unauthorized limited to avoid the unnecessary
access with appropriate contact of individuals with
contaminated areas, reagents or
signage? equipment. Unnecessary traffic
should not disturb workflow or
distract staff members.
ISO 15189: 5.2.7
Is a laboratory safety A safety manual should be readily
manual available, accessible available in work areas as
and up-to-date? 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 ISO standard
The work area should be
Is the work area clean and
free of leakage and spills, regularly inspected for
cleanliness and leakage. An
and are disinfection
appropriate disinfectant
procedures conducted and should be used. At a minimum,
documented? 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
All hazardous chemicals must be
Are hazardous
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 safety equipment. Biosafety cabinets
available and in use should be in place and in use and all
centrifuges should have covers.
in the 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 ISO standard
All occupational injuries or
Are occupational injuries, illnesses should be thoroughly
medical screening or investigated and documented in
illnesses documented in the safety log or occurrence log,
the safety 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
