Appendix 1: sample submission safety considerations
Published 21 March 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/birmingham-public-health-laboratory-user-handbook/appendix-1-sample-submission-safety-considerations
Health and safety
You must use the specimen containers and mail transport systems provided by the laboratory. The individual requesting or taking specimens from patients known to be infectious must ensure that both the form and specimen bag are appropriately labelled.
It is essential, where the requester knows or strongly suspects that the patient is infected with a dangerous pathogen that this specific information is provided with every specimen or the request form.
Packaging of specimens
Where a needle has been used to obtain the specimen, the needle must be disposed of safely into an approved sharps container at the point of use and not included in the packet transported to the laboratory.
Packaging of specimens from patients must be placed in the appropriate specimen container, which must be securely fastened and any accidental spillage cleaned immediately with an appropriate chlorine containing disinfectant: 10,000ppm available chlorine for blood spillage (do not use on urine spills) 1,000ppm for surface disinfection.
Note that undiluted domestic bleach contains 100,000ppm available chlorine.
This can be placed in a clear plastic double (marsupial) self-sealing bag with one compartment containing the request form and the other the specimen. The specimens must then be placed in a second (outer) plastic bag and appropriately labelled.
Transport of specimens
Specimens packaged as above must be transported to the laboratory in a robust, lidded, washable transport box. Do not use ordinary envelopes or “jiffy” bags for transportation.
Do not staple or puncture polythene bags.
High-risk incidents and safety
Universal precautions must be observed and appropriate personal protective equipment worn when specimens are collected (sterile gloves to take blood, masks, protective eyewear and a plastic apron if splashing of blood or other body fluids is likely to occur).
Any inoculation incidents (needle-sticks or contamination of conjunctiva, mucous membranes or broken skin, with blood or body fluids), must be reported as soon as possible - within 2 hours – to your occupational health service so that any required action can be instituted promptly.
This procedure must be followed whether or not the patient is perceived to be high risk.