Hundreds of lab accidents involve dangerous toxins

Workplace accidents in laboratories can be a public health risk.

In many laboratories, a workplace spilling accident can mean the release of harmful viruses or toxins into the environment.

In the United States, labs need special approval from the government to handle these toxins, which can pose a severe threat to humans, animals or plant health, and they need to have the appropriate equipment to handle them.

Despite these restrictions, there were 395 “potential release events” of “select agents” in U.S. labs between 2003 and 2009 reported to the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), according to a Scientific American blog.

Those workplace accidents involved loss of containment, spills, accidental needle sticks or sharps injuries, but many are not officially reported, the writer says.

While the U.S. plans to build a new Medical Countermeasures Test and Evaluation facility, the full range of potential exposures for the scientists and residents in the area need to be considered first, experts warn.

Source: Scientific American blog

Lab hoods and industrial-strength air cleaners for additional protection

Electrocorp has designed a range of air cleaners for laboratories, which can remove a wide range of contaminants, including chemicals, pathogens, particles and more.

Along with other preventive health and safety measures, a portable air treatment system with activated carbon, HEPA and UV germicidal filtration will help keep the air clean.

Contact Electrocorp for more information: 1-866-667-0297.