Despite ongoing advances in pharmaceutical safety, laboratories remain full of work hazards. Laboratory workers are exposed to corrosive substances and transmissible viruses and bacteria. In addition to adhering to standard safety regulations, such as posting a lab safety equipment list of mandatory items, laboratories can implement cutting-edge solutions to reduce risks.
Containment Improvements
Containment safety came into focus in the past decade due to the introduction of highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs) into the supply chain. HPAPIs can induce biological reactions in very small amounts and short exposure times. More than 40% of modern drugs are HPAPIs. These molecules have increased the likelihood of unintended exposure to fine chemicals and substances during handling.
In practice, containment restricts the movement of chemical and substance molecules to a separate space, away from the worker. Containment also prevents substances from accumulating in the environment and transferring from one space to another.
Preventing containment requires the use of heavy equipment such as hoods, exhausts, and safety shields. Policies and practices such as substance-specific occupational exposure limits also help lower risk.
Innovations in the field have led to smaller, yet more powerful hoods that can filter out substances with lower thresholds of face velocity. Containment tests have also become more sensitive and precise. This has narrowed the measurable range for chemical control levels, raising air quality and reducing exposure risks.
Laboratory-Acquired Infection Prevention
The International Society for Infectious Diseases estimates that nearly half of all laboratory-acquired infections happen in the diagnostics sector. The most commonly reported causes of infection include cross-contamination, failure to follow procedures, and spills. However, the causes of most of these cases are unknown.
Prevention advancements focus on pathogen-specific training and drug development to protect laboratory workers. Further, laboratories must follow standard reporting practices to track potential infections to reduce opportunities for community spread.
Laboratory staff working with genetically modified microorganisms should have special consideration, as the transmission of these pathogens can result in unknown and unforeseen consequences.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is one of the most recent developments in laboratory safety. As more devices communicate through wireless networks, laboratory data is growing more vulnerable to hacks.
Staff training and awareness are key to an effective cybersecurity plan. Uninformed staff are vulnerable to social engineering, a cyberhacking technique where staff are often tricked into exposing sensitive information to criminals.
This could include passwords, login credentials, and network access. Hackers may use sophisticated phishing and spoofing methods to enter and compromise the system.
In addition to cybersecurity training, security policies such as secured workstations and chip-enabled log-ins reduce the likelihood of unauthorized access to laboratory equipment, chemicals, or agents.
Laboratories should also implement safeguards to protect their digital infrastructure. For example, backing up laboratory data and patient information can limit the damage from outages or ransomware attempts.
Routinely updating software and networks can protect against hackers exploiting vulnerabilities.
The other side of cybersecurity is data protection. Many countries, including members of the E.U., enact strict patient data policies. Companies that fail to prevent or report data breaches could be liable for serious fines.
Data corruption or loss can also affect a laboratory’s bottom line, as reentering data is costly and time-consuming. Laboratories can implement several data safety policies to boost data safety.
For example, replicating data across secure, distributed servers serves as a secure backup for data. Working with a credible third-party host can also protect data from localized outages.
Safety-based Laboratory Design
Following the COVID pandemic, laboratories across multiple industries have refined and updated their design protocols to enhance safety and reduce opportunities for transmission.
For example, enhanced sanitation protocols have prompted lab designs that make personal protective equipment and cleaning equipment more accessible. This has also impacted material choice, as equipment and workstations are exposed to harsh cleaning chemicals at a higher frequency and concentration.
Reduced room capacities have also altered typical laboratory floor plans. Workstations must be designed with more flexibility to adapt to changing protocols for occupancy limits. This could include creating separate zones for disinfection and creating modular, movable workspaces made from resistant and lightweight materials.
Ergonomic considerations are also essential to safety-focused design. For example, storage units should be accessible to workers of all heights to prevent issues such as spilling. Typical workflows should also inform design. All staff should have enough room and clearance to perform their work safely. Workstations should be sequenced in the order that aligns with the laboratory staff’s workflow. Similarly, creating one-direction traffic by establishing separate points for entry and exiting prevents contamination issues.
