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Tarangnan Community Hospital Clinical Laboratory • Biosafety & Quality Management
Document No.: WI-QM-SAF-001-A-V0 CONTROLLED COPY
Post at All Benches
Parent Policy: LAB-QM-SAF-001 (Sec 5.6–5.8)  |  Rev: V0
Applies to: All Medical Technologists, Laboratory Aides, and Phlebotomists  |  Effective: MM-DD-YYYY  |  Supersedes: None

Biological Spill Response & Sharps/Splash First Aid Wall Poster

STANDARDIZED EMERGENCY ACTION PROTOCOLS • BIOSAFETY LEVEL 2 (BSL-2) COMPLIANT
PROCEDURE A Small Spill (Surfaces & Benches)
  1. ALERT & DON PPE: Alert nearby staff. Don gloves, laboratory gown, and eye protection / face shield before approaching.
  2. ABSORB BULK SPILL: Cover spill perimeter to center with paper towels or absorbent granules saturated with disinfectant. Discard into biohazard bag.
  3. CLEAN SURFACE: Clean area with aqueous detergent/hypochlorite solution and wipe with fresh paper towels.
  4. DISINFECT (1% Working Bleach): Apply freshly prepared 1:9 dilution household bleach (0.5%–1% sodium hypochlorite) until glistening wet. Allow 10–20 min contact time, then blot dry.
  5. DISPOSE: Place all waste into rigid biohazard bag; wash hands with soap and water.
PROCEDURE B Large Spills & Centrifuge Accidents
  1. LARGE SPILL / CONCENTRATED MATERIAL: Flood perimeter-to-center with 1 part household bleach + 5 parts water (≈1% sodium hypochlorite). Cover with paper towels. Allow 20–30 minutes soak time before cleanup.
  2. CENTRIFUGE TUBE BREAKAGE (§5.2.4):
    • Turn off power immediately.
    • WAIT AT LEAST 30 MINUTES with lid closed to allow dangerous aerosols to settle.
    • Wear puncture-resistant household gloves.
    • Remove broken glass using forceps (never fingers).
    • Decontaminate buckets and rotor with 1:9 bleach for 20 min.
  3. OCCURRENCE REPORT: Notify CMT/LQM and log on F-QM-010-A-V0.
FIRST AID 1 Needlestick / Puncture Injury
  1. REMOVE SHARP SAFELY: Discard needle immediately into puncture-resistant sharps container. Never recap, bend, or shear needles by hand.
  2. WASH THE WOUND: Wash the wound with soap and copious running water; allow brief bleeding; do not squeeze or scrub.
  3. COVER THE WOUND: Cover the wound with sterile gauze or an adhesive bandage.
⛔ CRITICAL SAFETY WARNING (STOP):
DO NOT squeeze the puncture wound.
DO NOT scrub aggressively with stiff brushes.
DO NOT pour concentrated bleach, alcohol, or harsh caustics directly into open puncture wounds.
FIRST AID 2 Eye Splash / Mucosal Exposure
  1. IMMEDIATE EYEWASH / WATER FLUSH: Proceed directly to the eyewash station or clean running water tap. Hold eyelids open with clean fingers.
  2. FLUSH FOR FULL 15 MINUTES: Irrigate eyes and mucous membranes continuously and copiously with clean water or sterile normal saline for at least 15 minutes without stopping.
  3. REMOVE CONTACT LENSES: Remove contact lenses during irrigation if present and easy to remove.
⏱ EMERGENCY PEP REFERRAL WINDOW
REPORT TO ER WITHIN < 2 HOURS
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (HIV / Hepatitis B) efficacy decreases sharply after 2 hours. Proceed to ER immediately after first aid!
📋 MANDATORY POST-EXPOSURE ESCALATION & LOGGING CHAIN (§5.8.2.d & §5.8.2.e):
Normal Working Hours: Immediately notify the Chief Medical Technologist / Laboratory Quality Manager (or Pathologist) → Accompanied to Emergency Room / Employee Health Clinic for clinical evaluation, baseline serology (HBsAg, Anti-HBs), and PEP initiation.
After Hours / Night Duty: Perform immediate first aid → Report to 24-Hr Nursing Supervisor → Proceed directly to ER for emergency treatment → Complete Occurrence Report Form on next working day.
Documentation: Log complete incident chronology on Occurrence Report Form (F-QM-010-A-V0) and retain in personnel health records.
Prepared by: Chief Medical Technologist
Signature/Date: _______________________
Reviewed by: Pathologist
Signature/Date: _______________________
Approved by: Hospital Director
Signature/Date: _______________________