SPECIMEN HANDLING AND TRANSPORT

 

SPECIMEN HANDLING AND TRANSPORT

A.    Standard Precautions will be used to obtain, transport, and handle all specimens. It is not necessary to label specimens as biohazardous.

B.    Specimens of blood or other potentially infectious materials will be placed in a well sealed primary container and a secondary plastic bag (ziplock) to prevent leakage during handling, processing, storage, transport or shipping. During transport, gloves are not required because the specimen already in a secondary plastic bag.

Exception: Within the Hospital premises, blood specimens in vacutainer tubes may be transported in the phlebotomist’s tray without a secondary container, provided that the exterior of the tube is not visibly contaminated with blood. If the exterior is visibly soiled, then it will be wiped clean.

C.    Specimens in syringes should be capped off (needle removed) before transporting to the laboratory. The exception to this is a fine-needle aspirate.

D.    Specimen containers for transport or shipping outside of the Hospital premises will be packed in a box contained in a zip lock plastic bag labeled with the universal biohazard symbol.