Importance of Biosecurity

The work activity must be subject to a set of guidelines and regulations that guarantee the health of the worker. There is a whole series of strategies and procedures aimed at prevention of accidents and diseases. The area of ​​knowledge that deals with all this is biosafety. Its main objective is the reduction of accidents at work.

The need for a safe work environment

As the term itself indicates, it focuses on everything related to job security. health laws in the job promote the identification of possible risks in daily activities. The employer has the obligation to implement the necessary measures and the employee must respect the established rules, otherwise the chances of accidents increase.

In order for the work environment to be safe, it is necessary to establish levels of prevention. Thus, in a laboratory where toxic substances are handled or in a industry With dangerous machinery, special precautionary measures must be taken.

Biosecurity in the hospital context

Although the beginning

of biosafety are applicable to all types of work contexts, it is in the hospital area where they are especially relevant. In this sense, contact with sick patients can trigger the spread of infections, such as HIV infection or hepatitis C. Naturally, hygiene measures among medical professionals are essential to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Experts divide health risks into three sections. Physical risks are those that are related to electrical accidents, such as excessive noise or ionizing radiation. Chemical risks are associated with polluting or potentially harmful substances, such as anesthetic gas, ethylene oxide or some drugs.

A biohazard exists when healthcare workers are in contact with materials of biological origin, such as syringes with viruses or bacteria

An important section in hospital biosafety is waste treatment. These can be classified into wet and dry (food scraps would be an example of the former and the latter). plastic would be an example of seconds). On the other hand, there is biopathogenic waste, such as bags with blood or surgical material.

In order for the different residues to be easily identifiable, yellow symbols with a shape are used. triangular and specify the type of risk (for example, flammable material, magnetic field or radiation).

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