Lab Safety

Biolab > Training > Safety

Working with Blood

A. Preparation | B. Gathering Supplies | C. Blood Typing | D. Clean-up | E. Training

A. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Wipe down the goggles and let them dry.
• Put on the goggles.
• If you are helping others, put on gloves.

B. Gathering Supplies

Once you have on your PPE, gather your supplies:

1. Obtain four sections of paper towel, one blood typing card, one safety  medium-flow lancet, four blood mixing sticks, and a bandage.
2. Set everything on three layers of paper towel. Reserve the other for your fingertip.
3. Fill in the date and your name on the card.
4. Place one stick above each circle on the card.
5. Use the dropper bottle, rubbing alcohol bottle, and bag of cotton balls BEFORE you use the safety lancet. We don’t want blood on the bottles, bags, or tray.
6. Add a drop of water to each of the circles.
7. Add rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball; set next to your card.
8. Slide the tray with the dropper bottle, rubbing alcohol bottle, and bag of cotton balls away from your work area.

C. Blood Typing

1. Clean the fingertip you will use for testing with the cotton ball plus alcohol you reserved.
2. Remove the cap from the lancet. Place the lancet on the fingertip, and using firm pressure, press down until the lancet pierces the fingertip.
3. Collect a droplet of blood on the concave surface of the correct antisera mixing stick.
4. Swirl it on the circle labeled for the specific antisera.
5. Repeat for each antisera and control.

D. Clean-up

1. Dispose of the lancet in the red sharps container.
2. Dispose of the blood mixing sticks, cotton ball, the card, all the paper towels, and gloves in the biohazard container.
3. Sanitize the bench top where you were working using the sanitizing spray and a new paper towel.
4. Sanitize your goggles using the sanitizing spray and a new paper towel and then put them away.
5. Wash your hands with soap and water.

E. Training

This 'Working with Blood' protocol is based on the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen training offered by ISU through Campus Optics and CITI. Instructors and students will be required to complete the Campus Optics training as a laboratory activity. To access more information and view the Exposure Control Plan visit the ISU Environmental Health and Safety Bloodborne Pathogens website.