Infection Risks Faced by Public Health Laboratory Services Teams When Handling Specimens Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Infection risks of handling specimens associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by public health laboratory services teams were assessed to scrutinize the potential hazards arising from the work procedures. Through risk assessments of all work sequences, laboratory...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Safety and Health at Work |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209379112030305X |
| _version_ | 1797709673959260160 |
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| author | Chun-Kwan Wong Dominic N.-C. Tsang Rickjason C.-W. Chan Edman T.-K. Lam Kwok-Kwan Jong |
| author_facet | Chun-Kwan Wong Dominic N.-C. Tsang Rickjason C.-W. Chan Edman T.-K. Lam Kwok-Kwan Jong |
| author_sort | Chun-Kwan Wong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Infection risks of handling specimens associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by public health laboratory services teams were assessed to scrutinize the potential hazards arising from the work procedures. Through risk assessments of all work sequences, laboratory equipment, and workplace environments, no aerosol-generating procedures could be identified except the procedures (mixing and transfer steps) inside biological safety cabinets. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as surgical masks, protective gowns, face shields/safety goggles, and disposable gloves, together with pertinent safety training, was provided for laboratory work. Proper disinfection and good hand hygiene practices could minimize the probability of SARS-CoV-2 infection at work. All residual risk levels of the potential hazards identified were within the acceptable level. Contamination by gloved hands was considered as a major exposure route for SARS-CoV-2 when compared with eye protection equipment. Competence in proper donning and doffing of PPE accompanied by hand washing techniques was of utmost importance for infection control. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:40:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6918f19824de4caa8243f860dda9f5e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2093-7911 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:40:08Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Safety and Health at Work |
| spelling | doaj.art-6918f19824de4caa8243f860dda9f5e72023-09-03T01:03:15ZengElsevierSafety and Health at Work2093-79112020-09-01113372377Infection Risks Faced by Public Health Laboratory Services Teams When Handling Specimens Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)Chun-Kwan Wong0Dominic N.-C. Tsang1Rickjason C.-W. Chan2Edman T.-K. Lam3Kwok-Kwan Jong4Public Health Laboratory Services Branch, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong, ChinaPublic Health Laboratory Services Branch, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong, ChinaPublic Health Laboratory Services Branch, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong, ChinaPublic Health Laboratory Services Branch, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong, ChinaCorresponding author. Room 632, 6/F, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.; Public Health Laboratory Services Branch, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong, ChinaInfection risks of handling specimens associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by public health laboratory services teams were assessed to scrutinize the potential hazards arising from the work procedures. Through risk assessments of all work sequences, laboratory equipment, and workplace environments, no aerosol-generating procedures could be identified except the procedures (mixing and transfer steps) inside biological safety cabinets. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as surgical masks, protective gowns, face shields/safety goggles, and disposable gloves, together with pertinent safety training, was provided for laboratory work. Proper disinfection and good hand hygiene practices could minimize the probability of SARS-CoV-2 infection at work. All residual risk levels of the potential hazards identified were within the acceptable level. Contamination by gloved hands was considered as a major exposure route for SARS-CoV-2 when compared with eye protection equipment. Competence in proper donning and doffing of PPE accompanied by hand washing techniques was of utmost importance for infection control.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209379112030305XCOVID-19Hand hygieneLaboratory workersOccupational safetyRisk assessment |
| spellingShingle | Chun-Kwan Wong Dominic N.-C. Tsang Rickjason C.-W. Chan Edman T.-K. Lam Kwok-Kwan Jong Infection Risks Faced by Public Health Laboratory Services Teams When Handling Specimens Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Safety and Health at Work COVID-19 Hand hygiene Laboratory workers Occupational safety Risk assessment |
| title | Infection Risks Faced by Public Health Laboratory Services Teams When Handling Specimens Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |
| title_full | Infection Risks Faced by Public Health Laboratory Services Teams When Handling Specimens Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |
| title_fullStr | Infection Risks Faced by Public Health Laboratory Services Teams When Handling Specimens Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Infection Risks Faced by Public Health Laboratory Services Teams When Handling Specimens Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |
| title_short | Infection Risks Faced by Public Health Laboratory Services Teams When Handling Specimens Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |
| title_sort | infection risks faced by public health laboratory services teams when handling specimens associated with coronavirus disease 2019 covid 19 |
| topic | COVID-19 Hand hygiene Laboratory workers Occupational safety Risk assessment |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209379112030305X |
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