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Abstract

Background:

Laboratory work provides students with the ability to process skills, perform experiments and tests, and interpret experimental data. Instead of traditional teaching methods, there are good laboratory experiences to develop a conceptual understanding of science. A lack of laboratory safety requirements and practice can affect the health of students, staff, and the environment. Therefore, the current study provides updated safety requirements and practice information.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate safety requirements and practices among teaching laboratories at the Health Institute 2021.

Methods:

An institutional-based descriptive study design was conducted on November 15-20, 2020, among staff members of the Bule Hora University Institute of Health. Seventeen randomly selected academic staffs and laboratory assistants from 2 departments participated in the study. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and an observational checklist. Finally, the data were coded and entered into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 for analysis. Data were then analyzed using simple quantitative descriptions such as frequency counts and percentages. The data are presented in a table.

Results:

Of the safety requirements evaluated, only 33.3% (6) were available in the laboratory. Of the safety practices evaluated, 44.6% were used all the time, 37.7% were used occasionally, and 17.6% were never practiced in the laboratory by the respondents. Of his respondents, 58.8% had never been regularly inspected for laboratory safety, and 77% had never received training in laboratory safety. Observations show that teaching laboratories in health organizations lack safety manuals/first aid diaries or guidelines, laboratory building drainage systems, adequate ventilation, water flow, and appropriate laboratory sizes.

Conclusions:

This study reveals poor laboratory safety practices and safety requirements in teaching laboratories. These limitations may cause health problems, environmental pollution, contamination, and chemical spills. Stakeholders should improve safety requirements and create awareness among staff, students, and lab assistants.

Keywords

Safety requirements teaching laboratories Health Institute

Introduction

The laboratory plays a central and unique role in active learning, suggesting that educators emerge from laboratory activity.¹ Laboratory safety is described as a safe environment with sufficient and acceptable test materials to allow unrestricted activity and open conditioning. The rules to follow are easy, well defined and suitable for both individual and collaborative student learning.²

The laboratory environment offers students the opportunity to observe scientific events, encourage theoretical understanding and abstract change, develop scientific inquiry skills, cultivate wisdom perceptions, and induce colorful landscapes of literacy. Ultimately, a laboratory safety culture depends on individual work habits and a sense of working together to protect themselves, their neighbors, and the wider community and terrain.^3,4 Laboratory security is an approved set of methods and procedures for maintaining the protection of property and life before an incident occurs. This means avoiding possible loss or damage resulting from a lack of care and attention in the workplace. School laboratory safety also includes established procedures and rules aimed at protecting laboratory personnel from injury, preventing property damage and loss, and providing a safe working environment.^5,6

Students of secondary school, high school, undergraduate, and graduate ages can be exposed to various hazards if they do not follow certain precautions when working in the laboratory.⁷ Accidents with hazardous chemicals, broken glass, and clinical samples occur in scientific laboratories due to mishandling or misuse of these materials.^8,9 Accidents involving chemicals, equipment, and clinical specimens are caused by safety precautions, negligence, or lack of material or chemical caution symbols.¹⁰ Laboratory personnel who process more than 80% of the tests may be at high risk of viral infection.¹¹

Several studies have been conducted on the frequency and incidence of laboratory accidents. The study, which was able to examine 13 agencies in Colorado, used a sound epidemiological approach from multiple agencies and found 574 accidents between 1966 and 1984, 81 of which were fatal in tutoring labs. Another 2 accidents occurred in fabrication apartments, and 13 occurred in exploration labs. The majority of accidents occur at the entrance to practical courses in biology or chemistry, usually by young students.¹²

Ethiopia is one of the developing countries that is actively engaged in expanding its advanced institutions, increasing the annual enrollment of students in various fields, including health sciences, and increasing self-professed, well-educated, scientific knowledge and meeting the demand for well-trained personnel.^13,14

More emphasis should be placed on the field of natural science, such as health, agriculture, and engineering, and in addition to the theoretical understanding of the scientific field, it is necessary to acquire high-quality and sufficient practical knowledge. Scientific researchers use a wide variety of samples, chemicals, and instruments. This can be dangerous for the health and safety of students, workers, and researchers when human samples, equipment, and chemicals are mishandled or misused or when hazard signs are not understood and safety procedures are not followed. There is a concern that it may be exposed to the above risks.¹⁵

In the history of the country’s Institute of Advanced Study laboratories, there have been no reports of clinical samples, equipment damage, chemical accidents, or environmental contamination, except for small, easily controlled incidents. Meanwhile, various educational laboratories act as diagnostic centers for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), as well as the Bule hora University Institute of Health, where the current study was conducted without isolating or labeling highly infectious samples. Therefore, this study aimed to assess laboratory safety practices and the availability of safety requirements among teaching laboratories in a health institute.

Methods

Study area and period

The study was conducted from 15 to 20 November 2020 at the Institute of Health of Bule hora University, Bule hora Municipality, West Guji Zone, Southern Oromia Region. The city is located 464 km south of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The Institute of Health is one of 5 colleges and 2 institutes at the University of Bule hora. The Institute of Medicine and the Department of Environmental Health have large, well-equipped student laboratories.

Study design and population

An institutional-based descriptive study design used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Quantitative approaches use percentiles and frequency tables to describe data and increase research neutrality and granularity. However, qualitative research relies on the skill and ability of researchers to describe commodities through the content to increase the power of research. The study population was laboratory assistants, trainers, and heads of the Department of Environmental and Medical Testing at the Institute of Health at the University of Bule hora.

Sample size and selection

A total of 17 staff members from medical laboratory science and environmental health departments and laboratory assistants using laboratory rooms were included in this study. All laboratory assistants, academic staff, and department heads who practiced with the students in the laboratory were included in the study, but recruits and guests were excluded from the study.

Sampling method

Two laboratories were selected by random sampling from 5 laboratories at the Bule Hora University Health Institute. Of the 17 staff members, 10 (8 instructors, 2 laboratory assistants) were from the medical laboratory department, and 7 (6 instructors, 1 laboratory assistant) were from the environmental health department. Then, data on the current state of laboratory safety requirements and laboratory safety practices were gathered from participants (Figure 1).

Figure 1.

Schematic of sampling procedure of improving safety practices in laboratory rooms of Bule Hora University health institute.

Data collection tools and procedures

Researchers collected sufficient primary data through self-administered questionnaires to assess safety practices and observational checklists to gather safety requirements. The questionnaire and checklist were taken from the revised and analyzed literature to gather safety practices.¹⁴ We then distributed the created questionnaires to instructors, department heads, and technical assistants to collect quantitative data. Observational checklists were used to collect qualitative information and were finally integrated and triangulated to enrich and elaborate on quantitative data collected through questionnaires.

Data quality assurance

The questionnaire and checklist were developed through a thoroughly revised, identified, and critically reviewed literature review. The questionnaire was pretested on chemistry department instructors and lab assistants, who then assessed whether the questionnaires and observational checklists for data collection were appropriate and consistent.

Data analysis

Collected data are organized and encrypted. Data were entered into SPSS version 20.0 for analysis. Data were analyzed using simple quantitative descriptions such as frequencies and percentages. Rates and frequencies were applied to report laboratory safety requirements and their practices. The results are displayed using tables.

Ethical considerations

Ethical approval was obtained from the Office of the Higher Diploma Program at the University of Bule hora. A letter of recommendation was also obtained from the University of Bule hora and presented to the head of the department. A clear description of the study by the consenting agency, including objectives, procedures, duration, and possible risks and benefits, was provided to respondents and department heads. Informed consent was obtained from the study participant, participation was voluntary, he had the right to opt-out, and the confidentiality of the data collected was fully respected. A written informed consent form was signed by the respondent. The surveys used to collect data do not contain personally identifiable information such as names. Confidentiality of the collected data was maintained by the research team.

Results

Sociodemographic characteristics

A total of 17 questionnaires were distributed to instructors, department heads and laboratory assistants, and all of them were returned. Additionally, all questionnaires were properly completed. Out of 17 participants, 58.8% (10) were from the department of the medical laboratory, and 41.2% (7) were from the environmental health department. Regarding the sex of respondents, 82.4% (14) were females, while 17.6% (3) were males.

Safety practices in the laboratories

In the present study, among the assessed safety activities, 44.6% were always practiced, 37.7% were sometimes practiced, and 17.6% were never practiced in 2 laboratories. Based on shared knowledge of safety in the laboratories, 94.2% of the respondents used personal protective equipment while practicing/teaching students, and 58.8% did not regularly inspect the safety of the laboratory rooms. Regarding the safety of the laboratory room for student practice or teaching, 53% agreed that the room was safe for student practice. On the other hand, 77% of respondents did not ever take training on laboratory safety (Table 1).

Table 1.

Safety practices related to the self-administered questionnaire results.

Variables	1. Yes always		2. Yes sometimes		3. Never
Variables	N	%	n	%	n	%
Share safety knowledge to the students or colleagues	8	47.1	8	47.1	1	5.9
Practice labeling of reagents, equipment and samples in laboratory room	3	17.6	13	76.5	1	5.9
Using personal protective equipment during practicing/teaching students in the laboratory room	14	82.4	3	17.6	0	0
Store or handle reagents, materials, and samples properly in the laboratory room	5	29.4	10	58.8	2	11.8
Decontaminate the working place or sterilize materials after each activity	11	64.7	6	35.3	0	0
Dispose of solid and liquid waste into appropriate containers	2	11.8	15	88.2	0	0
Regularly inspect the safety of laboratory room	1	5.9	6	35.3	10	58.8
Hand wash with proper detergent at the end of the occupation	15	88.2	2	11.8	0	0
Practices record keeping in the laboratory room	1	5.9	15	88.2	1	5.9
Follow all of the safety protocols to protect himself, the students, and the environment of the laboratory room	4	23.5	13	76.5	0	0
Think the laboratory environment safe for student practice	9	53	-	-	8	47
Ever train on laboratory safety	4	23	-	-	13	77

Abbreviation: n, number of respondents.

Safety requirements in the laboratory rooms

In this study, the safety required in laboratories was assessed through an observation checklist. Based on the assessment, only 33.3% of safety requirements were fulfilled in the laboratories. There were expired laboratory reagents observed only in the medical laboratory room, while eyewash, emergency showers, fire blankets and fire extinguishers were absent in the environmental laboratory rooms. Among the assessed laboratory safety requirements, first aid logbooks or guidelines, drainage systems in laboratory buildings, good ventilation, water flow and adequate laboratory size were absent (Table 2).

Table 2.

Finding an observation checklist on the safety of laboratories [Available(√), Not available(x)].

No.	Items	MeLS. L.room	EHL.room
1.	Personal protective equipment	X	X
2.	Drainage system	X	X
3.	Spill kit	√	√
4.	Labeling chemical/reagents, equipment and samples	X	X
5.	Waste containers	√	√
6.	Record sheets around equipment	X	X
7.	Well ventilation	X	X
8.	Cleanliness of work place	X	X
9.	Disinfectants and sterilizer materials	√	√
10.	Expired laboratory reagents	√	X
11.	Laboratory manual, first aid logbook or guideline	X	X
12.	Power supply	√	√
13.	Storing laboratory reagents/chemical, materials and samples	X	X
14.	Covering all laboratory equipment	X	X
15.	Well protected security	√	√
16.	Continuous water flow	X	X
17.	Eyewash, emergency shower, fire blanket and fire extinguisher	√	X
18.	Adequate laboratory size and properly separated	X	X

Abbreviations: MeLSL.room, medical laboratory department laboratory room; EHL.room, environmental health laboratory room.

Discussion

Laboratory safety and operations can be improved by establishing safety controls and prevention before injury, illness, or adverse environmental effects occur.¹⁶ Of the total respondents nearly half (47.1%) of them always shared their knowledge of laboratory safety with their students and colleagues, 82.4% of respondents always used personal protective equipment when practicing and teaching students, and 58.8% of participants did not use laboratory safety regularly in the room. The results of the current study were lower than those reported in a study conducted in Woraita Sodo, Ethiopia.¹⁵ Regarding the safety of lab rooms for student practice, 53% agree that the room is safe for student practice. On the other hand, 77% of her respondents had never had laboratory safety training, lower than that reported (89.8%) in a study conducted in Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia, where staff were trained. 15]. Using the checklist to observe laboratory safety requirements, the following challenges hindered proper laboratory safety practices: lack of proper storage of laboratory reagents/chemicals, materials, and samples. In addition, there are many expired reagents in the laboratory. These practices can make dealing with accidents difficult. The accumulation of waste chemicals in the room leads to room overcrowding and cross-reactions between chemical reagents.

Additionally, issues were identified, such as uncleanliness of laboratory work rooms, improper labeling of laboratory chemicals/reagents, equipment and samples, and lack of inspection and quality control records around equipment. This finding agreed with a recent study conducted in the school laboratories of Botswana (Gaborone), which assessed chemical management practices and reported the lack of labeling of chemical containers and faded labeling, clearly indicating incompatibilities that may cause chemical accidents in laboratories.¹⁷ Another similar study investigated deficiencies regarding laboratory labeling and posting.¹⁸

All experimental equipment and personal protective equipment were not easily accessible in the laboratory rooms. This activity leads to cross-contamination of chemicals, the environment, students and workers, which can lead to human health effects and fires. There was no drainage system, good ventilation, no water supply in the laboratory, and insufficient room. These limitations can lead to bad room odors, air pollution, and floor and bench contamination.

The ultimate laboratory safety responsibility within an institution lies with its Superintendent, along with all urgent relations that should have an overt, continuing commitment to the safety program. Senior management support for safety programmers was the most significant factor influencing compliance with reducing exposure incidents and infection control.¹⁹

Limitations of the study

This study was performed on a small sample size and only included participants from 2 laboratories; therefore, the results may not be generalizable to the whole country. A lack of prior research studies for further discussion and comparison on the topic was another main concern. Injuries and communicable disease impacting the safety of laboratory personnel were not assessed. The senior students and cleaners were not interviewed.

Conclusion

This study revealed that laboratory safety practices and safety requirements in a teaching laboratory at a health research institute are poor. This is due to inadequate laboratory personnel practices, lack of training, and limited resources regarding laboratory equipment and materials required for safety. These restrictions can cause environmental pollution and chemical accidents and affect human health. Additionally, poor ventilation, inadequate lab size, unseparated rooms, and practicing with unlabeled samples can contaminate student practice during practice. Therefore, safety requirements and buildings must be met and constructed according to laboratory standard construction. Instructors and laboratory assistants play and are responsible for the success of the program, among the fundamental roles played by the department heads. All levels of the organization (ie, administrative staff, scientists, laboratory technicians) understand the importance of minimizing the risk of exposure to hazardous substances in the laboratory, and work together toward this goal is needed.

Supplemental Material

sj-docx-1-mbi-10.1177_11786361231174414 – Supplemental material for Assessment of Safety Requirements and Their Practices Among Teaching Laboratories of Health Institutes

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-mbi-10.1177_11786361231174414 for Assessment of Safety Requirements and Their Practices Among Teaching Laboratories of Health Institutes by Alqeer Aliyo and Alo Edin in Microbiology Insights

Footnotes

Acknowledgements

First, we would like to thank the Bule Hora University high diploma program office for providing the opportunity to conduct this study. Then, our deepest gratitude goes to the department heads and staff, who tirelessly gave us support and actively participated during data collection.

Funding:

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Declaration of conflicting interests:

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Author Contributions

AA: Conceptualization, developed proposal, resource, project administration, investigation, and supervision, performed data analysis and interpretation. AE: Data curation, formal analysis, software, investigation, and supervision; performed data analysis and interpretation; and wrote. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Consent for Publication

“Not applicable”

Data and Materials Availability

All necessary data are available in this manuscript. With reasonable request, data can be provided from the corresponding author without restrictions.

Supplemental Material

Supplemental material for this article is available online.

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Supplementary Material

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