Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Hint: Follow OSHA, but also have policies in place customized to your practice.

The best way to do that is to create a culture of safety at your lab or pathology practice. Consider these tips to remain compliant and prevent injuries or illnesses at your lab.

Take Precautions With Sharps, Needle Sticks

One of the most common sources of injury in a lab involves the use of sharps and needle sticks. OSHA requires you to put the needle and syringe together in the sharps container, and to close and dispose of sharps containers when they are three-fourths full. Most containers have a line on the label indicating the point beyond which they should not be filled, but not everyone pays attention to them.

Never let sharps containers get so full they’re about to overflow, and be careful when emptying them, since these containers are puncture-resistant, but not puncture-proof.

By law, lancets must be retractable and single use, but if you’re still using nonretractable lancets, you could be in violation of OSHA — and setting yourself up for injuries. Confirm that any outdated lancets are disposed of properly and only order the newer, retractable lancets in the future.

Train Staff on Safe Phlebotomy Procedures

The individuals at your facility who draw blood should be trained on using accurate venipuncture techniques. For one, they should never put their index finger above the puncture site while they are inserting the needle.

Also, they should use a safety transfer device when evacuating blood from a syringe to a blood collection tube. When drawing blood with a syringe, they should activate the safety features on the needle, remove it, discard it, and attach a safety transfer device to fill the blood collection tubes.

Additionally, when putting a cap on a syringe, phlebotomists should hold the cap to the needle at an angle so the tip catches on the cap before they insert it. They should never put the cap on in a straight or parallel motion, because they could accidentally stab themselves with the needle if they miss the cap.

Never Work Without Personal Protective Equipment

Your lab should always have personal protective equipment (PPE) on hand to protect staff members when needed. This includes surgical or N95 masks, goggles, gloves, face shields, protective clothing, or other PPE. Even if the PPE is not used every time, it should be available, and you should have a process in place for reordering it when stocks get low so you never run out.

Manage Spills Immediately

Your lab must have a spill response policy in place to ensure you take the most appropriate measures any time a spill occurs in the lab. The policy should outline what to do when different substances (bodily fluids, cultures, chemicals, water, etc.) spill. Your policy should follow the OSHA guidelines and also build on them to include response names and times at your practice.

For instance, your policy might be that if water spills on the lab floor, you’ll cover the area with a paper towel and continue to use fresh paper towels until the area is dry, and that the practice manager must personally confirm that the floor is dry and safe before the lab staff members can reenter the room. Spilled blood, urine, bodily tissues or other substances would have their own individualized protocols that your lab must follow.