Histopathology Laboratory Safety Quiz

Histopathology Laboratory

• The laboratory prepares tissues for light and fluorescence microscopy.
• Histological techniques are used.

Learning Objectives

• Students should be able to review laboratory regulations and safety precautions.
• Students should be able to list the workflow of histological techniques.

Subtopic 1: Review of Laboratory Regulations and Safety Precautions

• Possible sources of injury in the lab include acids, alkalis, corrosives, sharp needles, chemicals, and bacteria.
• Additionally, radioactive materials are a hazard.
• Cautions should be taken when handling these materials.

Lab Safety Rules

• Know the location of safety equipment.
• Leave experiments at the lab.
• Know what to do in case of an accident.
• Dress appropriately.
• Don't experiment on yourself.
• Don't play "mad scientist".
• Don't eat or drink in lab.
• Don't taste or sniff chemicals.
• Dispose of waste properly.

Safety Measures (Do's and Don'ts)

• Do's:*

• Follow safety instructions.

• Handle all samples as biohazards.

• Perform only authorized procedures.

• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE).

• Clean up spills immediately.

• Use household gloves for general purposes (e.g., instrument cleaning, decontamination).

• Take care when handling glassware and electricity.

• Report all accidents.

• Don'ts:*

• Eat, drink, or smoke in the lab.

• Play in the lab.

• Bring bags into the lab.

• Use defective equipment.

• Touch electrical equipment using wet hands.

• Lick labels, chew pencils, or pipette by mouth.

• Wear accessories (bracelets, rings, watches) during lab sessions.

• Touch any body parts when gloves are still on.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• The presentation includes images of various PPE items including goggles, gloves, lab coats, shoes, protective headgear, industrial gloves, protective eyewear, protective clothing, safety footwear, face protection, respiratory protection, fall protection, hearing protection, and emergency eyewash/showers.

Importance of PPE in Healthcare Settings

• The reasons why PPE is important in healthcare settings are not explicitly stated in the slides presented here.

Safety Information

• The slides include icons for emergency shower and eye wash locations, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, chemical spill kits, material safety data sheets (MSDS).

Labelling

• The presentation features various hazard symbols for harmful, explosive, corrosive, flammable, toxic, oxidizing, dangerous for the environment, radioactive, biohazard, and poison substances.
• There are additional symbols for general danger and electrical hazard.

Formaldehyde

• Formaldehyde is a hazardous chemical requiring special handling.
• It's important to see, and be aware of, labels and safety data sheets (MSDS) for proper procedures.

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

• MSDS should accompany any chemical.
• Important information is found on the MSDS, including hazardous components, safety precautions, and first-aid instructions.

Subtopic 2: List of the Workflow of Histological Techniques

• Basic Histological Process: Fixation → Processing and Embedding → Cutting → Staining
• Additional Steps: Tissue Sampling and Grossing → Tissue Embedding → Tissue Sectioning → Tissue Staining

Special Histological Process (Frozen Sections)

• Used for quick analyses.
• Employ no fixation or processing steps.
• Sections are cut slightly thicker.
• Cryostat (refrigerated cabinet) is used to maintain the microtome knife at subzero temperatures.

Materials: Consumables

• Biopsy specimens, including urine, stool, sputum, peritoneal exudate, joint fluid and biopsies are collected.
• Specimen containers are used for collecting samples for laboratory analysis.
• Tools for grossing such as forceps and scalpel.
• Tissue cassettes are used to hold tissue samples during processing.
• Embedding molds help position tissues when embedding in wax.

Materials: Chemicals

• Paraffin wax is a critical chemical used to embed tissues for analysis.

Materials: Equipment

• Various equipment such as tissue processors, tissue embedding centers, microtomes, water baths, hot plates, and ovens are essential for histological work.
• Tissue stainer is also needed.

End Product

• Images of healthy and unhealthy liver tissue slices are shown as examples of tissue analysis results.
• Other examples of tissue samples are included in further slides.

References

• The slide includes references to studies on histological changes and use of a specific chemical substance in rats.

Test your knowledge on the essential safety precautions and regulations in the histopathology laboratory. This quiz covers hazards, safety rules, and the proper handling of materials. Ensure you understand the workflow of histological techniques and the responsibilities involved in lab safety.