Assessment and Risk Management in the Laboratories of the School of Public Health, a Medical University Using the ACHiL Technique

Abstract

Background and Objective: Despite continuous efforts to reduce risks in different systems, unsafe mistakes and behaviors are the main causes of incidents at the workplace. The safety of laboratories is important because of the variety of chemicals, electrical equipment, high costs of some pieces of equipment, as well as the large number of students, professors, and staff who use labs. For this reason, it is necessary to identify, assess, and control their hazards by appropriate methods. Materials and Methods: In this study, the assessment and classification of hazards in laboratories (ACHiL) method was used. The ACHiL approach was based on a platform in which 28 risks were classified into three levels based on their limitations. Limit values were edited by United Nations Organization, The International Agency for Research on Cancer, and other global requirements. Results: The results of this study showed that chemical agents were identified as the most important risk factor in the studied laboratories. Environmental agents were also identified as the second most effective factor in the occurrence of accidents. Biological agents and then physical agents had the least important roles in the occurrence of accidents in the studied laboratories. Furthermore, the level and the location of hazards were defined based on their severity. Conclusion: The ACHiL platform is a simple yet highly efficient tool for health and safety professionals. This allows them to get a full and deep view of the existing hazards, as well as dangerous samples in the lab in order to take appropriate safety measures.