Assessment and Risk Management in the Laboratories of the School of Public Health, a Medical University Using the ACHiL Technique

Despite continuous efforts to reduce risk in different systems, accidents are occurring. The safety of laboratories is important because a variety of chemicals and electrical equipment are normally used, high numbers of students, professors, and staff visit it daily, and there are expensive equipment in such places. For this reason, it is necessary to identify, assess and control the hazards in laboratories by appropriate methods. In this study, the ACHiL method was used. The ACHiL approach is based on a structure in which 28 risks are classified and each of them has its own allowable limits which is categorized in three levels. The results of this study showed that chemical agents were the most important risk factor in the studied laboratories. Environmental agents were the second most influential factor in occurrence of accidents. Biological agents and physical agents had the least role in the occurrence of accidents in the studied laboratories. Moreover, the level of hazard and their location were determined according to the severity of each one. The ACHiL structure is a simple yet highly efficient and effective tool for occupational health and safety professionals to get a full and deep view of the hazards present in the lab and manipulated samples. The method can be used for selecting appropriate safety measures.