VCE Vet Laboratory Skills key terms

Wearable gear such as gloves, goggles, gowns and enclosed footwear that creates a barrier between the worker and hazards. It is the last line of defence after hazards are eliminated or controlled.

A standardised document supplied with a hazardous chemical that lists its hazards, safe handling, storage, first aid and spill response. Workers consult it before using an unfamiliar substance.

Routine work practices that treat all blood, body fluids and specimens as potentially infectious. They include hand hygiene, gloves, eye protection and safe sharps handling.

The process of spotting anything in the workplace that could cause harm, such as spills, faulty wiring or unlabelled containers. Findings are recorded and then assessed for risk.

A structured judgement of how likely a hazard is to cause harm and how severe that harm would be. It guides which controls are chosen and how urgently they are applied.

A ranked order of risk controls that favours eliminating the hazard first, then substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and finally protective equipment. Higher-ranked controls are more reliable.

A physical change to equipment or the workplace that reduces exposure, such as a fume cupboard, local exhaust ventilation or a splash guard. It protects everyone nearby without relying on individual behaviour.

A rigid, puncture-resistant, clearly labelled bin for used needles, blades and broken glass. It is filled only to the marked line and sealed before disposal.

An enclosed ventilated workstation that draws fumes and vapours away from the operator. The sash is kept low, and airflow is checked before hazardous work begins.

A ventilated enclosed cabinet that uses filtered airflow to protect the worker, the sample and sometimes the surrounding room from aerosols. Class and airflow type must match the work performed.

A pressure vessel that sterilises equipment and waste using high-pressure steam at a set temperature and time. Loads must be packed correctly and cycle records kept.

A sensitive instrument that measures mass to several decimal places. It sits on a level, draught-free bench and is levelled and calibrated before use.

A hand-held instrument that dispenses small, accurate volumes, usually from one to one thousand microlitres. Correct tip fitting and plunger technique prevent volume errors.

A machine that spins tubes at high speed so denser material forms a pellet and lighter liquid stays above. Tubes must be balanced by weight and the lid closed before spinning.

The curved surface of a liquid in a container. On glassware it is read at eye level with the lowest point aligned to the graduation mark.

A pear-shaped flask with a single calibration mark used to prepare a solution of exact concentration. It is filled to the mark at the stated temperature after the solute dissolves.

A reading mistake caused by viewing a scale from an angle rather than straight on. Holding the instrument at eye level and repeating readings reduces it.

The acceptable range above or below a target value within which a measurement or product is still considered correct. Results outside tolerance trigger investigation.

Comparing an instrument's readings against a known reference and adjusting it if needed. It is scheduled, recorded and repeated after repair or relocation.

Planned checks run alongside test samples to confirm that results are reliable. QC material of known value is tested, and results are plotted on charts to detect drift.

A material with a known expected result tested in the same batch as unknown samples. If it falls outside its limits, the whole batch is usually rejected and repeated.

A documented record of every person who handles a specimen and every transfer, from collection to final disposal. It protects the integrity of results that may be used as evidence.

Applying unique identifiers to a sample at the point of collection, including patient or source details, date, time and collector. Unlabelled or mislabelled specimens are normally rejected.

The vessel that directly holds the specimen, such as a blood tube or urine jar. It carries the label and is placed inside secondary packaging for transport.

A measured portion taken from a larger sample and stored in its own labelled tube. Aliquoting allows repeat testing without repeatedly thawing the original specimen.

The unbroken sequence of refrigerated or frozen storage and transport that keeps a specimen within its required temperature range. Temperature logs and insulated packaging provide the evidence.

Working methods that keep sterile items and samples free from contamination, such as flaming loops, using sterile tips and not passing hands over open plates. It is used whenever microbes must not be introduced.

A process that destroys all viable microorganisms, including spores, on equipment or media. Common methods include moist heat, dry heat and filtration.

A preparation of known resistant spores used to prove that a sterilisation cycle actually worked. It is incubated after exposure and growth signals failure.

A stepwise series of dilutions in which each tube is made from the previous one, giving a predictable fall in concentration. It is used to count microbes or build a standard curve.

A solution whose concentration is known accurately, prepared from a weighed mass or a diluted stock. It is used to calibrate instruments and check unknown samples.

The ability to follow a sample, result or record back through every step and person involved. Unique identifiers and complete records make this possible.

Rules for recording laboratory work so that entries are legible, dated, signed, contemporaneous and not erased. Mistakes are crossed out with a single line and initialled so the original remains visible.

A written, approved instruction describing exactly how a routine task is performed. Staff are trained against it, and it is reviewed on a set schedule.

A group of samples or products processed together under the same conditions and reagents. A batch is accepted or rejected as a unit based on its quality control results.

The range around a reported result within which the true value is expected to lie. It combines instrument limits, repeatability and calibration data.

Separating incompatible waste streams, such as halogenated solvents, heavy metals and aqueous acids, into clearly labelled containers. Mixing streams can cause reactions and blocks recycling.

Waste contaminated with blood, tissue or infectious material that needs special handling and disposal. It is segregated at the point of generation and moved in labelled, leak-proof containers.

Working methods that cut energy, water and material use, such as shutting fume cupboards, recycling clean packaging and freezing samples in efficient batches. It balances environmental impact with safety and quality.