CAP Pro Course - Safety - Fire and Electrical Safety

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Author: Cheryl Bentley, MLS(ASCP)CM
Reviewer: Daniel J. Scungio, MT (ASCP), SLS, CQA (ASQ)

Continuing Education Credits

Objectives

  • Describe the basic elements of fire and electricity associated with injury.
  • Demonstrate basic fire and electrical safety.
  • Recognize potential fire and electrical hazards and associated risk reduction strategies.
  • Explain the proper use of firefighting equipment.
  • Outline evacuation procedures and prioritize steps performed in fire and electrical emergencies.

Course Outline

  • Describe the basic elements of fire and electricity associated with injury.
      • Basic Elements of Electricity Associated With Injury
      • Causes of Electrical Injury
      • Basic Elements of Fire Associated With Injury
      • Types and Causes of Fire-Related Injury
      • Laboratory equipment must be plugged into a grounded electricity source. What is the purpose of this?
      • Once a fire is created, it will burn until one or more of the components are removed. In recent years, the NFPA has added a fourth component, as a mea...
      • Mike, a night shift medical laboratory scientist, is taking the temperatures for the night and notices that the humidity reading in the core lab is lo...
      • Mike began troubleshooting and taking corrective measures when he found the humidity level below the acceptable range. Even in times when the humidity...
  • Demonstrate basic fire and electrical safety.
      • Fire and Electrical Safe Work Practices for the General Laboratory
      • Basic Fire Safety Measures for Flammable or Combustible Liquids and Gases
      • Basic Fire Safety Measures for Flammable or Combustible Liquids and Gases, continued:
      • Different Classes of Fire
      • Basic Electrical Safety Measures
      • Safe Use of Electrical Equipment: Installation, Repair, and Maintenance
      • You are walking through your laboratory and notice a device (pictured to the right) attached to one of your floor model centrifuges. Which of the foll...
      • All laboratory personnel should have a basic understanding of fire safety. This includes an understanding of different fire classifications as establi...
      • You are preparing to perform the weekly maintenance on your laboratory's automated Gram stain instrument. One step in the maintenance process requires...
      • Precautions observed to improve safety when using electrical equipment also apply to the installation, repair, and maintenance of that equipment. Your...
  • Recognize potential fire and electrical hazards and associated risk reduction strategies.
      • Potential Fire Hazards
      • Fire Prevention
      • Fire Drills
      • Potential Electrical Hazards
      • Reducing Electrical Hazards
      • Thorough training and employee participation in scheduled fire drills and evacuations can greatly affect the outcome in a real emergency situation. Ev...
      • You are checking expiration dates on reagents in your acid cabinet and find a bottle with white deposits around the cap. What is the next step you sho...
  • Explain the proper use of firefighting equipment.
      • Types and Proper Use of Fire Extinguishers
      • Decision to Fight a Fire
      • Other Types of Fire-Fighting Equipment
      • What is the acronym that is commonly used to help staff remember the essential steps to operate a portable fire extinguisher?
      • As you are replacing the methanol on your hematology slide maker/stainer, the open container slips from your hand, resulting in a large spill that spr...
      • After noticing the spill of the methanol has caused an electrical fire, you realize that your coworker was standing in front of the instrument and his...
  • Outline evacuation procedures and prioritize steps performed in fire and electrical emergencies.
      • RACE for Fire Emergencies
      • Electrical Emergencies
      • RACE is an acronym commonly used to help staff remember the proper steps in the correct order when responding to a fire emergency. Which of the follow...
      • Your coworker was performing extensive maintenance on the chemistry analyzer when you hear a sound. You notice he looks frozen in place over the instr...
      • Fire rescue arrived and your coworker is now in the Emergency Department for treatment. You return to the laboratory after checking on him. What is so...
  • References
      • References

Additional Information

Level of Instruction: Basic
Intended Audience: This program is designed as an educational and training tool for MLS, MT, and MLT personnel, medical laboratory science students and interns, pathology residents, and practicing pathologists.
Author: Cheryl Bentley, MLS(ASCP)CM received her degree in Medical Laboratory Technology from Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia. Cheryl began her career as a generalist at Henry Medical Center in Stockbridge, Georgia and is currently the Clinical Laboratory Supervisor at Gwinnett Medical Center in Duluth, Georgia.
Reviewer Information: Daniel J. Scungio, MT (ASCP), SLS, CQA (ASQ) has over 25 years of experience as a certified Medical Technologist. He has a bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology from the State University of New York at Buffalo in Amherst and Buffalo, New York. Dan worked as a laboratory generalist in hospitals ranging in size from 75 to 800 beds before becoming a laboratory manager. After 10 years of lab management, he became the Laboratory Safety Officer for a system of more than 10 hospitals and over 20 laboratories and draw sites in the Tidewater area of Virginia.

This course is part of the CAP Competency Assessment Hub.

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