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Maintaining safety in the lab’s AP suite
Lab Safety Advisor, May 2, 2006
Maintaining safety in the AP suite
Anatomic pathology (AP) laboratory or autopsy suites present unique safety concerns because formaldehyde and many other hazardous chemicals are used to preserve tissue specimens. This places workers at risk for exposure to large amounts of blood and other body fluids during autopsies.
Because of the chemicals used in the process, ventilation is one of the biggest considerations for these labs; moreover, unlike clinical labs, AP suites are usually located near surgical suites to facilitate preparation of requested frozen sections, and the proximity of such chemicals to patient areas carries its own risks. Regardless of the location, the gross room and frozen section areas of AP laboratories and autopsy suites should have an air exchange rate of 16 times per hour because of the high concentration of chemicals used.
Anatomic pathology (AP) laboratory or autopsy suites present unique safety concerns because formaldehyde and many other hazardous chemicals are used to preserve tissue specimens. This places workers at risk for exposure to large amounts of blood and other body fluids during autopsies.
Because of the chemicals used in the process, ventilation is one of the biggest considerations for these labs; moreover, unlike clinical labs, AP suites are usually located near surgical suites to facilitate preparation of requested frozen sections, and the proximity of such chemicals to patient areas carries its own risks. Regardless of the location, the gross room and frozen section areas of AP laboratories and autopsy suites should have an air exchange rate of 16 times per hour because of the high concentration of chemicals used.
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