Analysis of Safety Self–Assessment for Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety conditions and conduct a self–assessment of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, using Enhancement of Safety Practices for Research Laboratories in Thailand (ESPReL Checklist) and Chulalongkorn University Biosafety Checklist (BSL Checklist). A comparing of self–assessment for each safety component of 2022 and 2023 compared to 2021, it was found that (1) ESPReL Checklist in 2022 found 5 main components out of 7 main components had a high percentage scores significantly, and found 1 subcomponent with a percentage score less than 80.0 percent, including component 3.4: Waste Treatment and Disposal, (2) The safety component from the ESPReL Checklist in 2023 found one of the main components had a decrease in percentage scores significantly, including component 1: Administration of Safety Management System, and found 3 subcomponents had a decrease significantly score of more than 3.0 percent, including components 2.1: Chemical Information Management, 5.1: Risk Management, and 5.2: Emergency Preparedness and Responses. Therefore, the laboratory should proceed with raising safety standards. Especially the elements whose percentage scores decreased significantly and urgently. (3) Safety components from the BSL Checklist in 2021–2023 found that the laboratory has maintained the conditions of safety elements to maintain the condition of both biological safety components.