Six Safety Tips for Working in a Diagnostic Lab

Nothing is more important in the workplace than safety. It is cliché, it is cheesy, and it is true. We need to keep safe at work, not just for the sake of the work at hand, but for our well-being. Some larger pathology labs may slip on monitoring their safety rules and regulations but making sure that safety is followed in the workplace is important. Safety tips may seem obvious, but these tips are based off the most common bad habits for safety in a pathology lab. We will go into detail a bit over a few of these to explain why they are important to implement in the lab.

Avoid Food & Drink

During critical tasks, all distractions are bad. Having food and drink in the workplace is a distraction. Remove distractions to prevent loss or injury. A cup of coffee in the morning might help you work better, if you spill it on yourself, the floor, or your workspace, you are causing a hazard. Furthermore, you can risk contamination from food waste.

Listen to Warning Signs

Make sure rules and regulations involving safety and safety procedures are posted in convenient and visible locations.  In our dermatology pathology lab service in Dallas, TX, we work as a team to communicate any hazards or job dangers so we can prevent accidents.

Practice Safety Drills

While productivity is great, and timelines are a pain, it is important to make time for safety. Regular monthly/annual drills for disasters and emergency situations will help ensure that your pathology lab, and its lab workers are as safe as possible.

Read the Safety Manual

Make sure that you invest time ( and if necessary) money into having a detailed and professional safety manual written up for your pathology lab. Make sure you are following any and all state and federal safety laws for pathology labs.

Perform Monthly Safety Meetings & Incentives

If you take your pathology lab workers and worked with them hands on in a meeting or during exercises, you will see an improvement in the safety statistics of your lab. Offering incentives for proper practices and rewards for specified lengths of time without incidents will improve participation in safety procedures.

Properly Handle Lab Equipment

If you oversee the pathology lab, it falls on you to make sure your team is safe. Implement a budget for proper lab safety equipment. This equipment can include goggles, gloves, coats, fireproof cabinets for flammable materials, and other lab equipment designed to improve safety in the work place.

Following these tips, setting up a structure, and implementing systems and manuals will increase the safety of your pathology lab. Remember to limit distractions, and take precautions when needed. Contact our dermatology pathology lab service in Dallas, TX to hear about the safety measures we take in our lab today.