PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL RISKS IN A CLINICAL ANALYSIS LABORATORY FROM A UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Study design : exploratory, case study. Objectives: to identify the physical and chemical risks faced by workers of a University Clinical Analysis Laboratory; study the occurrence, types, and causes of possible accidents and assess the workers’ degree of knowledge and use of protection measures. Methodology: data were collected from with lab workers using a selfadministered questionnaire, after receiving instructions about the characterization of physical and chemical risks according to the Ministry of Labor. Results: although workers consider they were exposed to the referred risks, no occupational accidents were detected and the workers used preventive measures for their team’s safety as well as their own. The findings also led to reflections about the observed reality, such as regular and continuing education, law applicability, decrees and regulations emitted by competent departments and the importance of adopting preventive measures. Conclusions: the revealed diagnosis makes it possible to create a local intervention plan and draws attention to the importance of realizing that workers are fallible human beings who face difficulties and pressures that can affect their professional performance.