Under the patronage of the Dean of the College of Science for Women, Professor Dr. Sameera Naji Khdim, the Quality Assurance Division, in cooperation with the Continuing Education Unit, held a workshop titled “Laboratory Classification Based on Risk Levels.” The workshop was presented by Dr. Amer Jafar Sadiq, Ms. Iman Adnan Mohammed, and Ms. Shaimaa Mohammed Abbas. It was attended by a number of faculty members, staff, and students of the college, and was held in the Abdul Hakim Hall.
The aim of the workshop was to shed light on the potential risks associated with laboratories where scientific experiments are conducted, which may result in injuries. Accordingly, work-related accidents are described based on the nature of the injury, and vice versa.
Injuries are categorized into several internationally recognized types: chemical, biological, and physical. In addition, general laboratories, including computer labs, are also classified under this framework.
The workshop clarified the methodology for determining the risk level of a laboratory room—especially when it hosts multiple experiments or serves various departments. It also addressed the process of assessing the risk level of laboratory activities, which comprises two main components: the incident and its impact. The causes of such incidents often include equipment used, laboratory materials, the lab environment, ventilation systems, and possibly insufficient experience or inadequate training, all of which may contribute to numerous hazards.
The workshop elaborated on the impact of accidents resulting from laboratory activities, particularly regarding their effects on the safety of specialists working in the lab, the environment, and test samples. These points were illustrated through a detailed presentation.
The workshop included discussions and inquiries, which were addressed by the speakers.
It is worth noting that organizing such activities significantly contributes to raising awareness and accurately clarifying laboratory classification standards in a professional manner.
