PROTECTION OF BLOOD BANK PERSONNEL AGAINST LABORATORY INFECTION
All laboratory personnel should be informed of the hazards including
transmission of viral infection involved in working in a blood bank
laboratory. Possible routes of infection may be skin abrasion or puncture
or through body orifices.
Incidental exposure to infected samples like bag breakage, splash, needle
stick injury should immediately be reported to the concerned authorities.
Preventive inoculation of the blood bank staff against Hepatitis-B infection
after appropriate tests should be necessary.
PERSONNEL PROTECTION
All protective apparel for universal precaution should be provided.
The staff should be made aware of universal precautions as under
Hands
Wash hands before leaving the laboratory, and before eating or drinking.
Wash hands immediately after they have been in contact with blood or
blood products.
Wear disposable gloves when handling all materials suspected of being
infective or when opening samples of blood.
Keep open wounds and cuts covered with an adhesive dressing or
disposable gloves during working.
Never invert a tube containing blood or a blood derivative by covering
the mouth of the tube with a finger. Cover the mouth of the tube with
parafilm or with a similar product.
Coats
Always use a clean lab coat with buttons closed while working.
If a laboratory coat becomes soiled with blood or serum, change
to a clean one. The soiled coat should be soaked in hypochlorite or
autoclaved before it is laundered