Term Paper on Accidents & First Aid | Laboratory | Hematology

In this term paper we will discuss about the common accidents and exposure risk, including chemical, radiological and biological hazards that are found in laboratory. Also learn about the first aid treatments.

Term Paper # 1. Accidents Occur in Laboratory:

1. Acid Burns:

Nitric, Sulphuric, Hydrochloric and Trichloroacetic acids.

In all Cases:

Wash immediately with large quantities of water.

Acid Splashes on the Skin:

a. Wash thoroughly and repeatedly with water.

b. Bathe the affected skin with cotton wool soaked in 5% aqueous sodium carbonate.

Acid Splashes in the Eye:

a. Wash the eye immediately with large quantities of water sprayed from a wash bottle or rubber bulb. Squirt the water into the corner of the eye near the nose.

b. After washing, put 4 drops of 2% aqueous sodium bicarbonate into the eye.

c. Refer the patient to a physician. Continue to apply bicarbonate solution to the eye while waiting for the doctor.

Alternatively, hold the eye under the running tap.

2. Swallowing Acids:

Accidental swallowing while using a pipette:

a. Call a physician.

b. Make the patient drink some 5% soap solution immediately. Alternatively, give him two whites of egg mixed with 500ml of water or milk. If neither of these is available, he should drink ordinary water.

c. Make him gargle with the soap solution.

d. Give him 3 or 4 glasses of ordinary water.

e. If the lips and tongue are burned by the acid:

i. Rinse thoroughly with water

ii. Bathe with 2% aqueous sodium bicarbonate.

Alkali Burns:

Sodium, potassium and ammonium hydroxide

In all Cases:

Wash immediately with large quantities of water.

Important:

Alkali burns are as serious as and often serious then, acid burns.

Alkali Splashes on the Skin:

a. Wash thoroughly and repeatedly with water.

b. Bathe the affected skin with cotton soaked in 5% acetic acid (or undiluted vinegar).

Alkali Splashes in the Eye:

a. Wash immediately with large quantities of water sprayed from a wash bottle or rubber bulb. Squirt the water into the corner of the eye near the nose.

b. After washing with water, wash the eye with a saturated solution of boric acid (Apply drops repeatedly).

Refer the patient to a physician at once. 

3. Swallowing Alkalis:

Accidental swallowing while using a pipette:

a. Report to a physician.

b. Make the patient drink at once:

(i) A 5% solution of acetic acid or lemon juice or dilute vinegar (1 part vinegar to 3 parts water.)

c. Make him gargle with the same acid solution.

d. Give him 3 or 4 glasses of ordinary water.

e. If the lips and tongue are burned by the alkali.

(i) Bathe the affected skin with cotton wool soaked in 5% aqueous sodium carbonate.

4. Poisoning:

This can be caused by:

i. Inhaling toxic vapors or gases (e.g. Chloroform)

ii. Accidental swallowing while pipetting a poisonous solution.

In all Cases:

a. Send for a physician or qualified nurse, specifying the toxic substance involved.

b. Place the victim in the open air while waiting for the physician.

5. Burns Caused by Heat:

They fall into categories:

i. Severe Burns:

Affecting large areas of skin, e.g. burns caused when burning ether or boiling water is spilled over the victim.

ii. Minor Burns:

Affecting a small area of skin, e.g. burns caused by not glassware or a Bunsen flame.

6. Severe Burns:

a. If the victim is on fire, e.g. if splashed with burning ether or other inflammable solvent, roll him in a blanket or overall to smother the flames.

b. Inform the physician on duty immediately.

c. Lay the victim on the ground. Do not remove his clothing. Cover him if he is cold.

d. Do not apply any treatment to the burns. This must be left to the physician.

7. Minor Burns:

a. Plunge the affected part into cold water or ice-water to soothe the pain.

b. Apply mercurochrome or acriflavine ointment to the burn.

c. Apply dry gauze dressing loosely.

d. If the burn becomes infected or does not heal, refer the patient to a physician.

Note:

Never tear off the blisters that form over the burns.

8. Injuries Caused by Broken Glass:

These are caused by broken test tubes, syringes or other glassware:

a. Wash the wound immediately to remove any glass pieces.

b. Apply mercurochrome or acriflavine ointment to the wound.

c. Cover with gauze and adhesive tape.

d. If the cut bleeds profusely, stop the bleeding by pressing down on it with a compress. Refer the patient to a physician.

e. If the cut bleeds heavily with the blood spurting out at intervals, try to stop the bleeding with a compress and call a qualified nurse.

f. Continue to press on the wound while awaiting the physician’s or nurse’s arrival. He or she will decide whether a tourniquet should be applied as another mode for treatment.

9. Contamination by Infected Material:

Wounds caused by broken glassware containing stools, pus, etc.;

a. Wash wound immediately.

b. Check whether the cut is bleeding. If not, squeeze hard to make it several minutes.

c. Bathe the whole area, i.e. the edges of the cut and inside the cut, with antiseptic lotion.

d. Wash thoroughly with soapy water.

e. Refer the patient to a physician if the material involved is known to be very infective, e.g. pus.

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Term Paper # 2. First Aid for Accidents:

Know how to handle emergency situations before they occur:

i. Become familiar with the properties of the hazardous products used in the area.

ii. Familiarize yourself with the contents of the first aid kit and learn how to use them. Keep instructions readily available and easy to understand.

iii. Locate and know how to test and operate emergency equipment, such as showers and eyewashes, in your area.

iv. Learn first aid: first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

v. The emergency first aid procedures described below should be followed by a consultation with a physician for medical treatment.

1. Burns:

In the laboratory, thermal burns may be caused by intense heat, flames, molten metal, steam, etc. Corrosive liquids or solids such as bases and acids can cause chemical burns; first aid treatment for chemical burns. In electrical burns, electrical current passing through the body generates heat.

2. Burns to the Skin:

First aid treatment of skin burns encompasses the following:

i. If the burn is electrical in origin, ascertain that the victim is not in contact with the power supply before touching him/her. If the victim remains in contact with a power source, unplug the device or shut off the main power switch at the electrical distribution panel.

ii. If the burn is serious. Seek immediate medical treatment for all electrical burns, even if they don’t appear to be serious.

iii. Remove jewelry, including watches, from the burned area.

iv. Expose the burnt area, but avoid removing clothes that are stuck to the skin.

v. If possible, immerse burnt surfaces in cold water for at least 10 minutes, or apply cold wet packs.

vi. Avoid applying lotions, ointments or disinfectants to a burn. First and second degree burns can be washed with soap and water after the cool down period.

vii. Cover first and second degree burns with a moist bandage; apply dry compresses to third degree burns and to entry and exit wounds of electrical burns.

viii. Do not burst blisters, as they form a natural barrier against infection.

3. Burns to the Eyes:

Burns to the eyes may be caused by chemical substances, heat (hot liquids, steam, open flames, molten metal, etc.), or radiation from welding procedures, laboratory lamps and lasers. Burns caused by ultraviolet, visible or near-infrared radiation may not produce symptoms until 6-8 hours after exposure. First aid procedures for chemical burns to the eyes.

General first aid procedures for thermal and radiation burns to the eyes are as follows:

i. Prevent the victim from rubbing or touching the eyes.

ii. For heat burns, flush the eyes with cool water until the pain subsides.

iii. Cover the eyes with dry sterile gauze pads; apply a wet compress to the eyes if it is too painful to close them.

iv. Send the victim for medical care. If the burn is the result of exposure to a laser beam, advise emergency medical personnel of the characteristics of the laser and the distance between the victim and the laser.

4. Cuts:

First aid treatment for minor scrapes, scratches, cuts, lacerations or puncture wounds include the following:

i. Wash the wound and surrounding area with mild soap and running water.

ii. Remove any dirt around the wound.

iii. Cover with an adhesive dressing or gauze square taped on all sides with adhesive tape.

iv. Wounds caused by dirty, soiled or grimy objects should be examined by a physician, who will determine whether a tetanus immunization is needed.

v. If the wound was caused by an object that has contacted human blood or body fluids, the victim must be seen by a physician immediately, as immunization or post-exposure prophylaxis may be required.

vi. If a wound is bleeding profusely, the first aider should attempt to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible.

vii. Elevate the injured area above the level of the heart, if possible, in order to reduce the blood pressure to the area of the wound.

viii. Apply direct pressure to the wound unless an object is protruding from it (in this situation, apply pressure around the injury). Direct pressure can be applied with the fingers of the hand, the palm of the hand or with a pressure dressing.

ix. If bleeding cannot be controlled with direct pressure, apply pressure to the arteries supplying the injured area. This involves compressing the artery between the wound and the heart, against a bone.

x. Do not remove a dressing that has become soaked with blood, as this may interrupt the clotting process; apply an additional dressing on top of the first.

xi. Avoid over-tightening of the dressing; i.e., do not cut off the blood circulation to limbs.

xii. As a tourniquet completely stops the flow of blood to beyond the point of application, it should be applied only as a last resort, as in the case of a severed limb.

5. Needle-Stick Injuries:

Treat bleeding needle-related injuries. Consult a physician immediately, as post-exposure prophylaxis or immunization may be required.

6. Chemical Splashes to the Skin or Eyes:

For Splashes to the Skin:

i. If the splash affects a large area of skin, go to the nearest shower and rinse thoroughly for at least 20 minutes; remove contaminated clothing while in the shower.

ii. For splashes involving a small skin area, proceed to the nearest drench hose, remove contaminated clothing and jewelry and rinse for 15-minutes.

For Splashes to the Eyes:

i. Go to the nearest eyewash and rinse for at least 20 minutes.

ii. If you are wearing contact lenses, remove them as quickly as possible, while continuing to flush.

iii. Hold your eyelids open with your fingers.

iv. Roll your eyeballs, so that water can flow over the entire surface of the eye.

v. Lift your eyelids frequently to ensure complete flushing.

vi. Cover the injured eye with dry sterile gauze pads while waiting for medical attention.

7. Poisoning:

Toxic substances can enter and poison the body by inhalation, absorption through the skin, ingestion or injection.

When Assisting a Victim of Poisoning:

i. Call for an ambulance for serious poisoning

ii. Ensure that the area is safe to enter before attempting to aid the victim

iii. Move the victim away from the contaminated area and provide first aid as required

iv. Do not induce vomiting unless advised to do so by a reliable authority

v. Provide emergency medical personnel with the MSDS for the poisonous product. If the victim was overcome by an unknown poison and has vomited, provide the ambulance technicians with a sample of the vomitus.

vi. Always ensure that the victim receives medical attention, even if the exposure seems minor.

8. Fires:

The immediate response depends on the size of the fire. Laboratory personnel should attempt to extinguish a fire only if it is clearly safe to do so.

9. Suspected Fires:

All staff members should familiarize themselves with the locations of the fire alarms and evacuation routes in the areas that they occupy.

Anyone discovering smoke, strong smell of burning or smell of an unusual nature, should immediately:

i. Inform Security

ii. Alert the Building Emergency Warden, Building Service person or Building Director.

10. Known Fires:

i. Shout “FIRE!” repeatedly to give the alert.

ii. Pull the fire alarm.

iii. Telephone the City Fire Department from a safe location.

iv. Evacuate the premises in a swift, orderly fashion using the stairways and/or fire, escapes, but NOT the elevators, and following the instructions of Evacuation Monitors.

v. Inform the Building Emergency Warden of the location, magnitude and nature (e.g. electrical) of the fire, the open evacuation routes, individuals requiring assistance, and other pertinent details.

vi. Once outside the building, move away from the doors to enable others to exit.

11. Clothing Fires:

If your clothing should catch fire, it is important not to run, as this would provide additional air to support the flames.

Remember the “Stop, Drop and Roll” Rule:

i. Stop where you are

ii. Drop to the floor, and

iii. Roll to smother the flames.

As soon as the flames are extinguished, go to the nearest emergency shower to cool burned areas with copious amounts of water.

If someone else is on fire:

i. Immediately immobilize the victim and force him/her to roll on the ground to extinguish the flames.

ii. Assist in smothering the flames, using whatever is immediately available, such as a fireproof blanket or clothing.

iii. Give appropriate first aid.

12. Hazardous Chemical Spills:

In the event of a spill of a hazardous (volatile, toxic, corrosive, reactive or flammable) chemical, the following procedures should be followed:

i. If there is fire, pull the nearest alarm. If you are unable to control or extinguish a fire, follow the fire evacuation procedures, as described in.

ii. If the spill is in a laboratory, shop or chemical storeroom:

a. Evacuate all personnel from the room

b. Be sure the hood/local exhaust is turned on

c. If flammable liquids are spilled, disconnect the electricity to sources of ignition if possible

d. Call the campus emergency telephone number (to request additional assistance if it cannot manage the clean-up yourself.

e. If the spill is in a corridor or other public passageway.

f. Evacuate all people from the area and close off the area to keep others out.

g. Call the emergency telephone number, to have the air system in the area shut down (to prevent contamination of other areas) and to request additional assis­tance.

13. Natural Gas Leaks:

Have the natural gas valves closed if you don’t use gas.

If you do use gas, and detect a natural gas smell:

Check that all gas valves have been turned off.

First Aid Kit:

1. Basic Supplies:

i. Adhesive tape

ii. Antibiotic ointment

iii. Antiseptic solution or towelettes

iv. Bandages, including a roll of elastic wrap (Ace, Coban, others) and bandage strips (Band-Aid, Curad, others) in assorted sizes

v. Instant cold packs

vi. Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs

vii. Disposable latex or synthetic gloves, at least two pair

viii. Duct tape

ix. Gauze pads and roller gauze in assorted sizes

x. First-aid manual

xi. Petroleum jelly or other lubricant

xii. Plastic bags for the disposal of contaminated materials

xiii. Safety pins in assorted sizes

xiv. Scissors and tweezers

xv. Soap or instant hand sanitizer

xvi. Sterile eyewash, such as a saline solution

xvii. Thermometer

xviii. Triangular bandage

xix. Turkey baster or other bulb suction device for flushing out wounds

2. Medications:

i. Activated charcoal (use only if instructed by your poison control center)

ii. Aloe vera gel

iii. Anti-diarrhea medication

iv. Over-the-counter oral antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others)

v. Aspirin and nonaspirin pain relievers (never give aspirin to children)

vi. Calamine lotion

vii. Over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream

viii. Personal medications that don’t need refrigeration

ix. If prescribed by your doctor, drugs to treat an allergic attack, such as an auto- injector of epinephrine (EpiPen, Twinject, others)

x. Syringe, medicine cup or spoon

3. Emergency Items:

i. Emergency phone numbers, including contact information for your family doctor and pediatrician, local emergency services, emergency road service providers and the regional poison control center

ii. Medical consent forms for each family member

iii. Medical history forms for each family member

iv. Small, waterproof flashlight and extra batteries

v. Candles and matches

vi. Sunscreen

vii. Emergency space blanket

viii. First-aid instruction manual