RAJIV GANDHI UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES,

BANGALORE, KARNATAKA

ANNEXURE II

PROFORMA FOR REGISTRATION OF SUBJECT FOR

DISSERTATION

1. / Name and Address of Candidate / MERLIN.M
DEPARTMENT OF HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION,
FATHER MULLER MEDICAL COLLEGE,
KANKANADY,
MANGALORE-575002.
2. / Name of the Institution / FATHER MULLER MEDICAL COLLEGE.
3. / Course of Study & Subject / MASTERS IN HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION
4. / Date of Admission to the Course / 1-10-2012
5. / Title of the topic / “A STUDY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE REGARDING OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS AMONG LABORATORY TECHNICIANS IN A SELECTED HOSPITAL.”
6. / Brief Resume Of The Intended Work:
6.1: Need for the study:
The right to work in a safe & healthy environment is the fundamental right of every worker. Traditionally hospitals and health institutions were considered to be safer than any other work environment and health care workers were viewed as professionals who are capable of maintaining their health without assistance, thus administrators have allocated few resources to the occupational health and safety.
Health and safety in clinical laboratories is becoming an increasingly important subject as a result of emergence of highly infectious diseases such as Hepatitis, HIV. The worker in the hospital laboratory deals with a wide variety of materials. Some of this may have hazards associated with them, such as inflammatory, toxicity, corrosiveness or number of other hazards. Not only the materials, there are other physical, chemical, biological and psychological hazards that can cause hazards to the employees. It is important that where hazardous environment is present, the hazards must be recognized and controlled.
Awareness of occupational safety and health play an important role in prevention of injuries and diseases. Various programmes have been implemented to increase awareness and knowledge of occupational health hazards in the work place among health care workers.
Individuals who work in a laboratory are required to be adequately informed about the physical and health hazards present in the laboratory, the known risks, an what to do if an accident occurs. Every laboratory worker must be trained to know the location and proper use of available personal protective clothing and equipment. The laboratory supervisor is responsible for providing information about any hazards present in the lab. This information must be provided at the time of initial assignment and prior to any assignments involving new potential chemical exposure situations.
The selected hospital is a1250 bedded hospital, is being utilized by an average of 1500 patients in a month. Most of them are availing the laboratory services. Since laboratory is the area where the employees are exposed to various occupational hazards, all technicians should be aware of health hazards and should take appropriate measures to prevent that. Hence this study is being conducted.
6.2: Review of literature:
According to Raymond Agius, Occupational health is defined as the promotion and maintenance of highest degree of physical, mental and social wellbeing of workers in all occupation by preventing departures from health , controlling risk and the adaptation of work to people and people to their job. (ILO/WHO 1950). (1)
According to K. Park A worker may be exposed to 5 types of hazards; physical, chemical, biological, mechanical and psychological. Diseases due to physical hazard include Heat burns, Heat cramps, cold trench foot, frost bite, occupational cataract etc. Causative agents of chemical hazards are Gases, Dusts and Chemicals. Biological hazards mainly due to Tetanus, Anthrax and psychological hazards includes Frustration, Tension, Depression.(2)
OSHA studies conducted in various laboratories in the U S, states that the laboratory environment can be a hazardous place to work. Laboratory workers are exposed to numerous potential hazards including chemical, biological, physical and radioactive hazards, as well as musculoskeletal stresses. Laboratory safety is governed by numerous local, state and federal regulations. Over the years, OSHA has promulgated rules and published guidance to make laboratories increasingly safe for personnel. There are several primary OSHA standards that apply to laboratories as well as other OSHA standards that apply to various aspects of laboratory activities. The Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) was created specifically for non-production laboratories. (3)
A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted by Raskeviciene R,Maroziene s. in 2002. The questionnaire was distributed among workers of biochemical and clinical laboratories in 6 hospitals of Kaunas city. Odds ratios with significance level p< or =0.05 were calculated. Result says that Impact of occupational risk factors on the health of hospital laboratories workers is not entirely assessed in Lithuania. Objectives of the study were to evaluate the main health disorders of laboratory workers and to define the relationship between the health complaints and working conditions in biochemical and clinical laboratories.
Laboratory assistants were exposed to higher number of workplace hazards rather than other workers. All health complaints were also more prevalent among laboratory assistants. Weakness, sleepiness at work, headache and sleep disturbances was the most prominent complaints among them to compare with other occupations. Skin irritation due to chemicals (chlorine compounds and hydrogen peroxide mainly) was more frequent among laboratory assistants as well. The most frequent localization of irritation was in hands. Complaints due to eyestrain were found in almost one third of responders. Neck pain, back pain, waist pain and joint pain due to long lasting fixed position was rather frequent among laboratory workers. Inconvenient work posture increased risk for waist pain (OR=1.65; p>0.05), neck pain (OR=2.32; p>0.05) and sleep disorders (OR=4.32; p<0.05). There was no significant relationship between health disorders and work experience. Mental stress is common in job of laboratory workers.(4)
Ajaz mustafa.A, et al conducted a cross sectional study to find out the safety measures being adopted in clinical laboratories of India (International Journal of Health Science in 2008). Heads of laboratories of teaching hospitals of India were subjected to a standardized, pretested questionnaire. Response rate was 44.8%. only 60% of laboratories had person in-charge of safety in laboratory. Seventy three percent of laboratories had safety education program regarding hazards. In 91% of laboratories staff is using protective clothing while working in laboratories. Hazardous material regulations are followed in 78% of laboratories. Regular health check ups are carried among laboratory staff in 43.4% of laboratories.
Safety manual is available in 56.5% of laboratories. 73.9% of laboratories are equipped with fire extinguishers. Fume cupboards are provided in 34.7% of laboratories and they are regularly checked in 87.5% of these laboratories. In 78.26% of laboratories suitable measures are taken to minimize formation of aerosols.
In 95.6% of laboratories waste is disposed off as per bio-medical waste management handling rules. Laboratory of one private medical college was accredited with NABL and safety parameters were better in that laboratory. Installing safety engineered devices apparently contributes to significant decrease in injuries in laboratories; laboratory safety has to be a part of overall quality assurance programme in hospitals. Accreditation has to be made necessary for all laboratories.(5)
A study was conducted by Shaikh AH, (published in Am J Med Tech.1979) regarding safety procedures in laboratory, Five types of hazards encountered in the clinical laboratory and a list of safety procedures designed to avoid or minimize them are identified. The safety procedures are written in a precise and easy-to-follow manner so that they can be adopted and used in any clinical laboratory. Medical technology educators are encouraged to teach safety procedures and enforce them in the student laboratory.(6)
6.3: Objectives of the study
·  To study various occupational health hazards affecting laboratory technicians and the safety measures to be taken.
·  To assess knowledge of laboratory technician regarding occupational health hazards and safety measures in a selected hospital.
Materials and Methods:
7.1: Source of data:
The data will be collected from laboratory technicians and the secondary data from the records in the central laboratory of a selected hospital.
7.2: Method of collection of data:
7.2.1 Study Type
The research approach adopted in this study is Descriptive cross sectional study.
7.2.2 Sample and sampling techniques.
Data will be collected from all the laboratory technicians of selected hospital. A questionnaire will be prepared to assess the knowledge of the laboratory technician towards occupational health hazards.
7.2.3 Inclusion Criteria
·  All the laboratory technicians of selected hospital are included in this study.
7.2.4 Plan for data analysis:
Collected data will be analysed by frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and by chi-square test and the findings will be presented in the form of tables and diagrams
7.3: Does the study require any investigations or interventions to be
Conducted on patients or other humans or animals?
No
7.4: Has ethical clearance been obtained?
Yes
8. / LIST OF REFERENCES:
1.  Raymond Agius. Occupational health services. December2010. http://www.agius.com/hew/resource/ohsilo.htm
2.  K. Park. Preventive and Social medicine. Jabalpur: m/s Banarsidas Bhanot publishers. 2000, 16 ed; p.no. 557.
3.  http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/laboratories/index.html
4.  Raskeviciene R. Moroziene S. Article in Lithuanian. Medicina (Kaunas) 2005;41(6):512-21
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15998991
6  AjazMustafa,A.JanFarooq,GJQadri,andTabishS.A . Int J Health Sci (Qassim).2008 July;2(2): 112–117.
7. ShaikhAH. Am J Med Technol.1979 Sep;45(9):793-6.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/484587
9 / Signature of the candidate :
10. / Remarks of the guide :
11. / Name &Designation
11.1: Guide :
11.2: Signature :
11.3: Co-Guide(if any) :
11.4: Signature :
11.5: Head Of The Department :
11.6: Signature : / MRS.SWETA D’CHUNA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
FATHER MULLER MEDICAL COLLEGE, MANGALORE
DR. JAYAPRAKASH ALVA
DEAN
FATHER MULLER MEDICAL COLLEGE,
MANGALORE
12. / 12.1:Remarks Of The Chairman
&Principal :
12.2: Signature :