SURVEY OF SAFETY PRACTICES AMONG HOSPITAL LABORATORIES IN OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Unsafe working practices, working environments, disposable waste products, and chemicalsin clinical laboratories contribute to infectious and non-infectious hazards. Staffs, the community, andpatients are less safe. Furthermore, such practices compromise the quality of laboratory services. Weconducted a study to describe safety practices in public hospital laboratories of Oromia Regional State,Ethiopia.METHOD: Randomly selected ten public hospital laboratories in Oromia Regional State were studied fromOct 2011- Feb 2012. Self-administered structured questionnaire and observation checklists were used for datacollection. The respondents were heads of the laboratories, senior technicians, and safety officers. Thequestionnaire addressed biosafety label, microbial hazards, chemical hazards, physical/mechanical hazards,personal protective equipment, first aid kits and waste disposal system. The data was analyzed usingdescriptive analysis with SPSS version16 statistical software.RESULT: All of the respondents reported none of the hospital laboratories were labeled with the appropriatesafety label and safety symbols. These respondents also reported they may contain organisms grouped underrisk group IV in the absence of microbiological safety cabinets. Overall, the respondents reported that therewere poor safety regulations or standards in their laboratories. There were higher risks of microbial, chemicaland physical/mechanical hazards.CONCLUSION: Laboratory safety in public hospitals of Oromia Regional State is below the standard. Thelaboratory workers are at high risk of combined physical, chemical and microbial hazards. Promptrecognition of the problem and immediate action is mandatory to ensure safe working environment in healthlaboratories.