Is Your Lab Prepared?
9/9/2019
September is National Preparedness Month, reminding us that it’s a great time to think about implementing a laboratory safety plan, or updating your lab’s current disaster plan. With the theme of “Prepared, Not Scared,” the US government has provided a free toolkit with useful items for reuse on social media platforms, including hashtags, graphics, videos, and other helpful related links.
This year’s weekly themes are:
- Week 1: September 1-7—Save early for disaster costs.
- Week 2: September 8-14—Make a plan to prepare for disasters.
- Week 3: September 15-21—Teach youth to prepare for disasters.
- Week 4: September 22-30—Get involved in your community’s preparedness.
The CDC’s Division of Laboratory Systems offers trainings to help laboratory professionals prepare for emerging threats and stay current with the newest standards and best practices. Trainings are free and are offered in a variety of modalities, including eLearning courses, in-person workshops, and webinars. Free P.A.C.E.® continuing education credits are available for many courses.
A laboratory emergency response plan has very specific needs that you can learn about with CLSI’s document GP36-A—Planning for Laboratory Operations During a Disaster. GP36 provides guidance for clinical laboratory leadership to develop, implement, and sustain an effective emergency preparedness plan to minimize the effects of, respond to, and recover from natural and manmade disasters that may affect laboratory operational functions.