Clinical Laboratory Safety Inspection Checklist
Complete this laboratory safety inspection regularly to ensure compliance with biosafety and chemical hygiene requirements. Laboratory workers face unique occupational hazards requiring specific controls.
- Industry: Healthcare
- Frequency: Monthly / Quarterly
- Estimated Time: 40-50 minutes
- Role: Laboratory Safety Officer / Lab Manager
- Total Items: 42
- Compliance: OSHA 1910.1030, OSHA 1910.1450, CLIA, CAP, CDC/NIH BMBL
Bloodborne Pathogens Standard Compliance
OSHA 1910.1030 requirements for labs handling blood/OPIM.
- Written Exposure Control Plan current and accessible?
- All staff trained on BBP standard annually?
- Universal/Standard Precautions practiced?
- Sharps containers available at point of use?
- Safety-engineered sharps devices used?
- Hepatitis B vaccine offered to all at-risk staff?
- Post-exposure protocol posted and known?
Personal Protective Equipment
Assess PPE availability and usage in laboratory.
- Lab coats worn and buttoned in lab area?
- Appropriate gloves available and worn?
- Safety glasses/goggles worn when splashes possible?
- Face shields available for high-splash procedures?
- PPE not worn outside lab (no lab coats in cafeteria)?
- Closed-toe shoes worn by all staff?
Chemical Hygiene Plan Compliance
OSHA 1910.1450 Chemical Hygiene Plan requirements.
- Chemical Hygiene Plan current and accessible?
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS) accessible for all chemicals?
- Chemical inventory current?
- Secondary containers properly labeled?
- Incompatible chemicals stored separately?
- Fume hoods certified and functioning properly?
- Fume hood face velocity ≥100 fpm?
Biosafety Practices
Biological safety controls and containment.
- Biosafety cabinets certified annually?
- BSCs used properly (no flames, proper technique)?
- Biohazard signs posted at appropriate areas?
- Cultures and specimens properly secured?
- Autoclaves validated and functioning?
- Biohazard spill kit stocked and accessible?
- Mechanical pipetting devices used (no mouth pipetting)?
Specimen Handling & Transport
Safe handling of clinical specimens.
- Specimens transported in leak-proof containers?
- Secondary containment used for transport?
- Pneumatic tube specimens properly packaged?
- Centrifuge safety cups/rotors used?
- Rejected specimens handled per protocol?
Waste Disposal
Proper segregation and disposal of laboratory waste.
- Biohazardous waste in red bags/marked containers?
- Sharps containers not overfilled?
- Chemical waste properly segregated and labeled?
- Waste pickup on schedule?
- No prohibited materials disposed of in drains?
Emergency Equipment
Verify emergency equipment is functional.
- Eyewash station functional and tested weekly?
- Safety shower functional and tested?
- Fire extinguisher accessible and inspected?
- First aid kit stocked and accessible?
- Emergency contact numbers posted?
Related Healthcare Checklists
- Hand Hygiene Compliance
- Medication Safety Check
- Surgical Safety Checklist
- Fall Prevention Assessment
- Joint Commission Readiness
- HIPAA Compliance Audit