Biohazard Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.

Important safety precautions must be observed when handling cerebrospinal fluid. The following guidelines apply:Semi-automatic micropipettes and disposable plastic chambers are the safest option for CSF testing. Many laboratories still use the hemacytometer with disposable pipets.If disposable materials are not used, soak contaminated reusable pipets, hemacytometer and coverslip in 70% alcohol or Wexide.All disposable items should be placed in a biohazard container for appropriate disposal.Wash hands thoroughly when the examination is completed.Spinal fluids which are to be discarded must be placed in biohazard containers for appropriate disposal.Careful attention to specimen processing and handling will help ensure that accurate results are obtained.

All collection sites must meet the following security requirements: Must be able to prevent unauthorized access to the site during collection. Ensure that the donor does not have access to items that could be used to adulterate or dilute the specimen (e.g. soap, water, cleaning agents, etc.) Secure faucets, toilet tank tops, and other appropriate areas with tamper-evident tape if necessary. Ensure that the donor is at all times under the supervision of the collector or other collection site personnel. Provide for the secure handling and storage of specimens. (Specimens should be stored at 4-6º C. The refrigerator used should not be readily accessible to the general public and should be used only for the storage of urine drug screens and other clinical specimens. The refrigerator should be marked with a biohazard sign. No food or drink should ever be placed in the refrigerator.)

 As the term suggests, Terrorists excel at creating panic. What is so insidious about chemical and biological terrorism is that it involves agents that we can’t see. People don’t know how to react when they can’t see what is hurting them. There are several examples, from a commercial bus crash to someone who reported smelling gas in a school, where rumors that the incidents were caused by either biological or chemical terrorism triggered an “epidemic hysteria”. In both areas the local hospital’s emergency room was overwhelmed. In each of the incidents mentioned, State and Federal officials spent countless hours investigating and found no possible biohazard, but the panic was real. From these experiences we see more than ever that healthcare workers are not just the first line of defense in the event of an actual attack, they are who the public looks to for rationality and reliable information in an bioterrorism emergency.

Do not leave test orders or test results in areas where they can be viewed by patients.Do not discuss test results or any patient information in areas where patients can overhear the conversation. Be careful not to discuss confidential information on the telephone where patients can overhear the conversation.Do not provide supplies to physician offices other than those usually provided by the laboratory. Document any supplies given to an office.Do not supply items that the office can use for testing (e.g. urine dipsticks). Do not allow offices to dispose of biohazard waste or sharps in the waste containers paid for by the laboratory.

Place blood and other infectious specimens ... first in an appropriate sealed container and then in a secondary red or biohazard labeled bag. Or place them in a compartmentalized tray for transport within the institution.

Contaminated sharps must be placed in puncture resistant, leak-proof, closable, biohazard labeled containers.These must be closed when only three quarters full, to prevent sharps from sticking out of the opening, and must be disposed of properly.

The universal biohazard symbol warns you of the presence of biohazardous materials.Red bags or containers, with or without the biohazard label, also indicate the presence of biohazardous contents.

Julie Smith, a newly certified phlebotomist at Northlake Hospital, entered a patient’s room on the third floor for a routine blood draw. The patient was an elderly woman who had very small fragile veins. Julie therefore decided to use a safety butterfly needle attached to a Vacutainer tube in order to draw the blood. When Julie was finished with the venipuncture, she detached the butterfly needle from the Vacutainer, and approached the Biohazard needle disposal box. She noticed that the disposal box was full , but decided to try to fit the butterfly into the box anyway. Holding the butterfly by the tubing, she tried to push the butterfly into the box. The needle suddenly recoiled and stuck Julie’s finger. Julie left the patient’s room in a panic and headed back to the lab to report the needle stick injury.

All needles & other sharps must be disposed of in approved sharps disposal containers. Other contaminated waste must be discarded in an appropriate red biohazard bag or waste receptacle.

Safety precautions should be observed when handling seminal fluid. The following guidelines should be followed:If non-disposable items are used, soak contaminated items(e.g.hemacytometers and coverslips) in 70% alcohol or Wexide®.All disposable items should be placed in a biohazard bag for autoclaving.Gloves must be worn and hands thoroughly washed when the examination is completed.Seminal fluids that are to be discarded should be placed in biohazard bags for autoclaving.