​Ensuring laboratory safety is paramount, given the potential dangers in research settings. Studies show that chemical exposure causes over 70 percent of lab accidents, resulting in injuries such as burns, absorption through the skin, or even blindness. Implementing best practices and protective protocols is necessary to prevent and manage such risks.

Laboratory safety demands a multipronged approach centered on thorough personnel training. Employees should learn proper techniques for handling hazardous materials and understand material safety data sheets that outline chemical properties, risks, and emergency protocols. Additionally, lab workers need first-aid training tailored to various chemicals and substances to respond swiftly in case of exposure.

Stressing the correct selection and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary to insulate operators from toxic materials. Examples are gloves, face masks, and other barriers protecting skin, eyes, and respiratory tracts. To optimize PPE effectiveness, research facilities should provide fitted gear for each worker and establish maintenance protocols, including replacing damaged items.

Maintaining a current, detailed inventory of all chemicals in the lab is necessary for safety management. Such inventories empower personnel to follow proper handling and protection protocols matched to the unique risks of each substance. Additionally, real-time inventory tracking informs anyone entering the lab about hazards present. An accurate inventory further enables rapid, targeted responses in hazardous materials emergencies.

Precise labeling and documentation of the inventory help ensure lab safety. All containers should prominently display the specific chemical identity, receipt and expiration dates, and applicable hazard warnings denoting flammability, toxicity, reactivity, or other dangers. This information allows lab personnel to assess risks and select appropriate handling precautions. Comprehensive inventory records also help account for chemicals during an incident or audit.

Ensuring safe chemical storage through compatibility is vital for managing laboratory hazards. Accidental mixing of incompatible substances risks dangerous reactions, such as toxic gas release or explosions. For example, damaged lithium-ion batteries emit flammable gases and must be disposed of separately from ignition sources per fire codes. Moreover, personnel should watch for inevitable spills and leaks and strategically place containment materials to isolate escaped vapors, liquids, or solids. Segregating and containing incompatible or released chemicals limits chain reactions that can endanger personnel and facilities.

Research organizations can also maintain safety and be better positioned to handle hazardous chemicals by investing in the underlying infrastructure of research facilities. Adequate ventilation, filtration, airflow, and exhaust systems are indispensable for safely dispersing fumes, particles, and off-gas. Items such as fume hoods that draw contaminated air away from breathing zones are essential. Alarm systems should also be in place to alert lab personnel in case of ventilation or exhaust system malfunctions. Further, a room layout with proper separation of processes and dedicated storage zones can aid containment.

Laboratory staff must keep things clean and neat to reduce the danger of contamination and infection. A thorough hand washing after contact with toxins and before/after eating is vital. Personal items should also be separate from laboratory equipment to prevent the spread of hazardous compounds. Additionally, lab workers should avoid applying cosmetics or other face products in the workspace since these can introduce contaminants.

​A study published by Science Direct found that 45 percent of scientific laboratory employees have experienced some type of workplace accident. The United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has recorded 120 accidents in academic research laboratories, which have resulted in nearly 90 evacuations and close to 100 serious injuries, along with three fatalities.

A separate Lab Safety Institute study conducted from 1966 to 1984 determined that more than 80 percent of accidents occur in teaching labs, while research labs and fabrication rooms contribute to 13 and 2 percent of accidents, respectively. Different types of labs must contend with different threats. That said, there are a few basic areas of concern that all lab safety teams must adequately prepare for.

To start, certain biological materials stored in laboratories can threaten the health and safety of lab workers if handled improperly. These materials include harmful viruses and bacteria. It is critically important that lab workers understand what is being stored in every part of the lab and how to properly handle biological hazards. Labs must install and adhere to effective decontamination processes to limit the risk of exposure, which can cause infections, illnesses, and other health issues.

Chemical hazards are a source of potential danger in many labs. Inhaling toxic chemicals can have a litany of negative health effects. Lab workers can also be injured by contact with corrosive materials, while flammable chemicals pose a fire threat to all personnel. Clearly labeling dangerous materials is paramount to lab safety. Employees should also know how to react and where to go in the event of a fire or chemical release. Personal protective equipment, such as gloves, goggles, and lab coats, can mitigate the chances of chemical exposure.

Radiological hazards are similar to chemical hazards. Labs that feature radioactive materials must follow all laws, regulations, and workplace standards for radiation safety protocols. Dosimeters and lead aprons are important tools to minimize the risk of radiation exposure, which range from cancer to organ failure. Employees working in or near labs working with radioactive materials should be supported with regular medical examinations and monitoring to ensure no exposure has occurred.

Fire hazards are not always related to flammable chemicals. Malfunctioning lab equipment and other flammable materials can also start fires, especially in disorganized labs where flammable materials are not properly labeled or stored. Even a thin layer of dust can increase the risk of a fire, underscoring the importance of maintaining a clean lab. Fire extinguishers should be easily accessible and up to code, just one aspect of the fire safety training all employees should receive. Employees should also know how to safely evacuate the lab in the event of a fire, which can be facilitated through regular fire drills.

Not all lab injuries result from a single accident. Ergonomic hazards occur over time as the result of repetitive motions. These motions can cause various strains throughout the body, especially the back. Protracted periods of standing or sitting exacerbate the chances of an injury. Lab leaders must remind other workers to take regular breaks and stretch when necessary. Labs can also invest in ergonomically designed equipment, including desks and chairs. Ergonomic concerns may seem minor compared to fires or toxic chemical accidents, but employee injuries impact lab morale and productivity. Furthermore, lab workers may be more likely to make a mistake if they are dealing with a repetitive motion injury while working.

These are only a few of the general sources of laboratory accidents. Safety leaders should also establish protocols to address noise, electrical, and mechanical hazards, as well as hazards that contribute to slip, trip, and fall accidents.

​Miguel Bermeo serves as CEO of Scimedico, LLC, which creates protective and testing equipment for histology, pathology, and cytology labs in West Orange, New Jersey. On the company blog, Miguel Bermeo’s firm informs New Jersey customers and beyond about salient issues in lab safety, like hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

HAIs refer to viral, bacterial, or fungal infections that a patient receives while going to the hospital or a laboratory to receive treatment or testing for an unrelated condition. A patient can become infected via many sources, like unclean surgical equipment, ventilators, and catheters. According to the CDC, about one in 31 patients have an HAI at any given time. HAIs do not encompass illnesses acquired by healthcare workers while on the job.

Certain factors increase a patient’s likelihood of contracting an HAI. Patients may become infected at hospitals without strict hygiene precautions to address all possible types and sources of disease. Older patients are also more likely to become infected and are more likely to suffer from severe illness.

​Based in West Orange, New Jersey, Miguel Bermeo is a successful leader who serves as the CEO of Scimedico, LLC, a full-service laboratory solutions firm. In this capacity, Miguel Bermeo oversees the day-to-day operations of the firm, including service improvement, financial management, marketing, and sales. Scimedico also offers lab maintenance services for pathology morgue environments in New Jersey and beyond.

Schimedo, a manufacturer of laboratory safety and optimization tools and solutions, has introduced the program “10 Questions Facing Pathology,” which was established to push the envelope of pathology laboratory best practices. The program focuses on some of the most pressing issues that have long perplexed the pathology community. The goal is to solicit opinions on the questions from pathology laboratories nationwide. The data will be gathered and published, in addition to follow-up questions on the issues to facilitate the establishment of a community-wide consensus.

The questions are multifaceted and focus on safety, compliance, and economics as they relate to pathology laboratories. Schimedo plans to distribute the questions via its social channels. Respondents will be anonymous, and the data will be accessible to academic, industry, clinical, and research organizations for further vetting and consideration. Concerted conclusions based on further study will be used to develop best practice guides for the pathology community.

​A West Orange, New Jersey-based executive, Miguel Bermeo has served as CEO of Scimedico, LLC, for nearly two decades. In this role, Miguel Bermeo oversees all daily operations of the firm, including operations, financial, and marketing management, among others. The New Jersey-based laboratory services firm specializes in cytology, histology, and pathology.

The study of tissue changes caused by diseases is called histopathology, a branch of science that uses diverse analytical techniques, including frozen sectioning. In frozen sectioning, a tissue sample is sliced into thin sections of frozen tissues using a special cryostat device. These sections are transferred to slides for analysis under a powerful microscope. Tissues prepared using these methods are subject to temperatures between 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Benefits of frozen sectioning include preserved integrity of fats and immunogenic (originating from the immune system) constituents of a sample, which allows for a more comprehensive analysis. Pathologists sometimes send on-the-fly reports of analyzed frozen sections of patients' tissues to doctors during operations. Doctors use these reports to make informed decisions on suitable treatment options. Patients with endometrial cancer and possibly infectious diseases like tuberculosis typically need this treatment modality.

​Based in West Orange, New Jersey, Miguel Bermeo is an accomplished executive who guides Scimedico, LLC, a full-service laboratory services and solutions firm that serves various sectors, including healthcare, research, government, and education. Miguel Bermeo is responsible for all aspects of operations, including project management, business strategy, and planning, at the New Jersey-based Scimedico, LLC.

In July 2022, Scimedico announced that its proprietary asset management software Complilab was updated with additional functionality. The retrofitted functionality is geared toward helping laboratories keep track of inspection appointments.

Compilab users (pathology and necropsy laboratories) are copiously regulated environments. Federal, state, and municipal compliance agencies outline standards that laboratories must follow. These standards are subject to erratic adjustments and updates. Complying with all the laws enables re-accreditations following inspections.

Laboratory managers can seamlessly monitor tasks (pending repairs and upgrades) and keep tabs on upcoming inspection appointments by leveraging the added functionality on Compilab. The software includes a feature that suggests repairs and preventive maintenance. Compilab also connects users with other lab managers, encouraging collaboration and joint navigation through the intricacies of lab regulations.

​The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) is an innovative data resource for cancer genomics research. Genomics is a relatively new field that uses state-of-the-art technology to study the human genome - the full set of human DNA. The genome is a blueprint that can help scientists and medical doctors better understand the makeup of the human body and how it is evolving.

In cancer genomics, scientists compare the DNA and RNA of cancer cells to identify genetic factors that may cause cancer. Specifically, they use structural genomics to measure the activity of certain genes to find which proteins are active or inactive in cancer cells. Once cancer-causing variances are identified, scientists can begin to understand how different types of cancer grow and why some are resistant to treatment.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), under the purview of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is in charge of TCGA. The program ran from 2006 to 2018 as a joint effort by the NCI and the National Human Genome Research Institute. All genomic data from the program is available to researchers and the general public.

For the study, TCGA researchers selected specific cancers based on a poor prognosis (a low chance of successful treatment) and their impact on public health (the most prevalent in various populations). Of the 32 cancers selected for research, those with the most available samples included breast ductal carcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma, serous ovarian adenocarcinoma, and thyroid papillary carcinoma. For each type of cancer, scientists published individual papers in scientific journals such as Nature, Cell, and the New England Journal of Medicine.

Over the program’s 12 years of operation, TCGA received samples from over 11,000 patients. Samples had to be obtained with patient consent and meet strict quality and quantity standards. Samples had to be from a primary, untreated tumor with the patient’s matched tissue or blood sample. Samples remained frozen until needed and be large enough for different testing procedures.

When TCGA was established, samples contained at least 80 percent of tumor nuclei. In later years, scientists could use samples with only 60 percent nuclei due to technological advances in sequencing processes and computational methods. These advances helped with other research endeavors involving DNA and RNA and significantly increased laboratory processing speed.

TCGA produced over 2.5 petabytes of research data, equivalent to one million gigabytes or the storage of 212,000 DVDs or over 500 billion pages of standard printed text. This massive amount of data helped scientists understand the molecular structure of cancer cells and determine various tumor subtypes. Researchers continue to mine TCGA’s data for information and can create new cancer treatments based on this data.

Although TCGA stopped accepting patient samples after the program ended in 2018, public access to the data allows scientists to continue synthesizing a wealth of information. However, while the research data and journal articles are available to the public, they can be difficult to understand for those with little experience in science or medicine. For this reason, the NCI created a graphic with the major takeaways from the complex research. For more information about TCGA and cancer genomics, visit NCI’s website at https://www.cancer.gov/.

​Clinical laboratories play an essential role in the healthcare system as they help provide evidence-based diagnostics. However, these laboratories also pose hazardous risks, including biological and physical hazards. Therefore, safety is critical to avoid injuries, and disruption of projects, ensure correct results and avoid fines for noncompliance.

The first safety measure should be in the design of the laboratory. For instance, the floor should be non-pervious and have covings to the wall to ensure any spills do not penetrate underneath. Other design considerations include sinks, clear exit paths, furniture that complies with ergonomic specifications, self-closing doors, and waste storage.

Further, laboratory standards by authorities such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require that a lab should identify hazardous chemicals that will be used and that all containers be clearly labeled. The lab should also have a chemical hygiene plan detailing procedures to use the substances, what protective gear to use, and other practices to keep workers safe.

Additionally, lab workers should be well trained on the importance of safety measures. This will ensure they exercise safe lab practices, such as avoiding eating and drinking in the lab, as it increases the risks of exposure to hazardous materials and contamination to lab tests.

The lab workers should wear protective gear, including lab coats, gloves, and eye protection, whenever conducting any tests. This should also apply to lab cleaners who regularly clean the lab, as there may be spilled chemicals or specimens.

Also, the cleaners should ensure the lab is cleaned thoroughly, and this does not mean washing the floor only but wiping chairs, telephones, pens, door handles, and all other items that are not part of testing but found inside the lab and are high touch surfaces.

Lab workbenches should be cleaned and disinfected between uses to ensure there is no leftover material or dirt and to avoid contamination of future tests.

Similarly, all lab users should practice good hygiene, including washing hands after handling hazardous materials and before leaving the lab.

To avoid physical injuries caused by falls or tripping, wires and cables used by lab equipment should be well tied and organized.

Some health facilities may outsource some clinical laboratory services from a well-equipped and structured laboratory. Such outsourced services may include preventative and maintenance services. Preventive maintenance on lab equipment helps enhance equipment performance and guarantee quality results while ensuring there is no faulty equipment that could cause harm to users.

Another service that can be outsourced is decontamination, especially when there has been hazardous materials or tests involving infectious biological specimen in the lab. Regular decontamination helps reduce laboratory-acquired infections and ensures other tests on different samples are accurate as the equipment has no contamination.

Other services include lab monitoring to check for the proper temperatures, ventilation functions, fume monitoring, and specimen tracking. Outsourcing lab services also help a health facility ensure compliance with health and safety regulations since the service providers are professionals specializing in lab-related issues and are more likely to keep up with changing rules and regulations.

​Miguel Bermeo is the CEO of Scimedico LLC, a leader in preventive maintenance in pathology settings. Specifically, Miguel Bermeo’s industry focuses on the prevention of workplace accidents in laboratories, hospitals, and other medical environments, as well as their ongoing maintenance as routinely hazardous places.

Staying safe in a laboratory setting while work is happening is paramount to ensuring the safety of yourself and your colleagues, as well as the integrity of your work and your equipment. Before any other assumption, you should listen to and internalize the instructions of the relevant authorities in the lab, i.e., your supervisor, instructor, or teacher. Knowing the rules, which most likely were written because people made mistakes and caused accidents before, allows you to avoid dangerous situations that could get you seriously hurt or permanently removed from the workspace.

The rules will be different for every lab, but generally, you should have a baseline of knowledge before getting to work. First, know the location of all safety equipment and anything you might need in an emergency. For example, a faucet might not technically be safety equipment, but knowing a convenient place to wash your eyes in the case of a chemical accident could save you much pain. Similarly, knowing the dress code will protect you from many simple errors that could have devastating consequences, such as your hair being burned if it isn’t tied up or tripping on untied shoelaces.