The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Nephropathology Laboratory is committed to ensuring that laboratory employees are provided a safe working environment free from unnecessary hazards. All laboratory employees have a right to know about health hazards present in their work-place in order to make safe, knowledge-able decisions about any personal risks associated with their daily work activities.
This document addresses UNC School of Medicine Nephropathology Laboratory general guidelines for waste management and covers laboratory safety rules and procedures for personnel, disposal boxes and sharps containers, and preparation of medical waste for contract incinerator service. This document is intended as a supplement to the McLendon Clinical Laboratories Safety Manual.
To ensure that UNC Nephropathology responds appropriately during emergencies, crises, disasters, or disaster drills, this policy has been developed to clarify disaster response and centralize reporting of available personnel.
Ergonomics is the science of assessing and developing a worksite designed to maximize productivity and minimize the risk of injuries. UNC Health Care’s program on ergonomics strives to improve employee well being through knowledge of safe work practices.
This document is for use by the UNC School of Medicine Nephropathology Laboratory and describes allowable levels of Formaldehyde and Xylene vapor concentration, action limits for exposure to Formaldehyde and Xylene, records of Formaldehyde and Xylene monitoring, and how to properly handle Formaldehyde and Xylene.
Every laboratory on UNC’s campus has electrically powered equipment that is used routinely in day-to-day operations. This equipment can pose a serious hazard if not properly maintained or improperly used. In addition, an electrical hazard could damage expensive equipment or wipe out years of research. All laboratory instruments and appliances should be adequately grounded and checked for current leakage.
Employee incident reporting is a critical element of UNC Health Care’s Hospital Epidemiology, Occupational Health, and Environmental Health and Safety/Workers’ Compensation Program. The purpose of completing incident reports is to document the nature and cause of the incidents. Monitoring incidents allows steps to be taken to develop methods for reducing and eliminating occupational accidents, illnesses, and exposures.
The UNC Nephropathology Laboratory Safety Plan outlines the steps taken to ensure that laboratory employees and visitors are provided with an environment free from unnecessary hazards. In addition it describes specific staff activities designed to reduce the risk of injury and includes references to specific policies and procedures required by McLendon Clinical Laboratories and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Environment, Health and Safety Office (EHS).
Safety training required by the UNC Nephropathology Laboratory is offered through online study programs available to University and Hospital employees involved with clinical and/or non-clinical (research) activities. These programs offer information about safe working practices and provide an orientation to University and Hospital policies, and state and federal regulations. Safety training will be offered to employees based upon job duties.
Proper packaging of diagnostic specimens is required for safe delivery to their desired destinations. In order for specimens to be received in the same condition they were sent, special packaging to prevent breakage, leakage, or loss is required. Specimens requiring rapid delivery will be sent by FedEx.