Biological contamination and other risk factors concerning teaching labotatory performance at Mayor de Cundinamarca University in Santa Fe de Bogotá

Abstract

Scientific and technological advances directly involving the performance of laboratory tasks keep being a source of potential risks for laboratory workers' health and for the environment. The need to carry out an assessment of the bacteriology program emerged from this concern. The evaluation allowed us not only to identify risks and, consequently, to elaborate a panorama of those specific to the program. but also to suggest prevention measures for specific risks. As an institution devoted to training health workers -particularly in the field of bacteriology-, and committed with national promotion and prevention policies, it is paramount for us to educate towards a new culture of risk prevention. This research supports actions proposed for the University's occupational health program, such as elaborating the panorama of risks by identifying the occupational health risk factors related to laboratory work. The study started with the identification and analysis of the research areas. This task was followed by an assessment of contamination levels in the laboratories, as well as by a classification of occupational risk factors, so that a panorama of specific risks at the Health Sciences School could be established. This problem involved a wide social sector of the university. Therefore. pariicipatory methods were applied during the development of the research. The methods used were: participating observation: knowledge. attitude and practice survey, and semiestructured interview All of these methods were addressed lo promote the community's sensitivity and awareness. The highest incidence was found in biological risk. This finding was supporied by the microbiological analysis, which reported the presence of microorganisms such as Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomona and yeasts. Psychosocial. chemical, physical, safety, and ergonomic risks followed in incidence. The result of the study was a panorama of specific risks of the bacteriology program, which allows the implementation of prevention measures. These will be internalized by the community by means of an educational program, and verified by an epidemiological surveillance system.