Mortuary

Risk of:

• Infection.

Possible causes:

• Exposure to infected blood, body fluids or tissues via aerosols from bone / band saw and tissue sectioning especially TB infected lungs.
• Direct skin contact e.g. verminous bodies.
• Needlestick, bone or sharp medical instrument inoculation / puncture wounds.
• Direct splashes or spillages of infectious material.
• Incorrect or careless work technique e.g. failure to adhere to hygiene procedures.
• Exposure to infected water aerosols due to stagnation of water in water system or failure to store and distribute water at correct temperatures.
• Use of improper equipment e.g. wooden blocks or rulers, cracked equipment such as porcelain sinks.

Risk of:

• Health effects.
• Latex allergies.

Possible causes:

• Lack of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) maintenance and servicing.
• Chemical incompatibility such as mixing formaldehyde and hypochlorite.

Exposure to:

• Formaldehyde, disinfectants, fixatives and solvents during the autopsy process or subsequent processing of tissue or cleaning of the environment.
• Dust when cutting bone.
• Material ingested by the autopsy case.
• Latex consumables

Risk of:

• Burns.
• Electric shock.
• Death.
• Fire.

Possible causes:

• Equipment not suitable for a wet area or environment with potentially flammable vapours.
• Contact of water with electricity during post mortem and cleaning.
• Incorrectly or poorly maintained fittings and connections.

Risk of:

• Cuts.
• Infection.
• Explosion.

Possible causes:

• Unguarded bandsaw or bone cutting equipment.
• Equipment that is not easy to disinfect being used e.g. cracked porcelain slabs, wooden head rests or body supports.
• Poorly maintained autoclave.

Risk of:

• Pain in the back, neck or arms.

Possible causes:

• Poor posture due to inappropriate bench height, poor lighting, insufficient or badly designed work areas.
• Use of computers.
• Static, awkward or sustained postures.

Risk of:

• Adverse health effects - cancer.
• Genetic defects.

Possible causes:

• Exposure to nuclear powered cardiac pacemakers or radionuclides in the body following their use for diagnosis and / or treatment.
• Use of X-ray equipment.

Risk of:

• Musculoskeletal disorders.

Possible causes:

• Moving and lifting the deceased or heavy loads.
• Manoeuvring trolleys.
• Lack of adjustable equipment or handling aids such as hoists or trolleys.

Risk of:

• Hearing damage or loss.
• Physiological effects.
• Work related stress.
• Increased risk of accidents.

Possible causes:

• Prolonged exposure to noisy equipment.

Risk of:

• Cuts.
• Infection.

Possible causes:

• Accidental cuts with sharp instruments, blades, bone fragments or corners of fittings.

Risk of:

• Minor injuries such as cuts to major injuries such as broken bones, concussion and even death.

Possible causes:

• Uneven, slippery, obstructed or poorly lit walkways or floors.
• Trailing cables.
• Poor housekeeping.
• Presence of fluids on floor.
• Poor drainage.

Risk of:

• Psychological disorder.
• Health effects.

Possible causes:

• Dealing with constant emotionally fraught situations / the bereaved.
• Unsociable hours.

Risk of:

• Being hit or run over by a vehicle.

Possible causes:

• Reversing vehicles e.g. hearses, relatives' vehicles.
• Lack of traffic management.
• Poor workplace layout.

For further information on related controls click here.