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Frequently Asked Questions
Public Health Laboratories
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Public Health Laboratories . Romesh Gautom, Ph.D., Director (206) 418-5400 | ||||||
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What do the Public Health Laboratories (PHL) do?The labs provide a number of services to help protect and improve the health of people in Washington State. Tracking and monitoring diseases, testing environmental samples, and screening newborns for inherited disorders are just a few examples. We perform tests to:
Are there any toxic, dangerous, or hazardous materials used or stored at the PHL?All laboratories, government and private, use chemicals to carry out their work. Safety is our top priority. The PHL has some potentially hazardous chemical and materials. We use chemicals for testing, cleaning, and general lab use. Most chemicals in the lab are used in small quantities - one gallon or less. The amount of chemicals on site is limited to those needed for regular work. What controls are in place to assure safe storage and use of toxic, dangerous, or hazardous materials? How do you protect your staff and the surrounding neighborhood from exposure?The PHL has taken a number of steps to protect employees and the community. That includes special building engineering, administrative controls, training, and protective gear for staff.
The Shoreline Fire Department is aware of the materials at the Lab and where they are stored. The fire department inspects the Lab on a regular basis. Like all state PHLs around the country, we are heavily regulated and inspected. Our state laboratory is regularly inspected by local, state, and federal agencies along with several accrediting organizations. The Lab is certified by the College of American Pathologists every two years to ensure that they meet national standards for testing clinical samples like blood and tissue. The Lab is also inspected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Justice. The state Departments of Labor and Industries, Ecology, Transportation, and the Office of Radiation Protection perform routine inspections to ensure that all regulations are met regarding worker health and safety, environmental releases, shipping of samples, and radiation safeguards. Other federal government agencies, like the Food and Drug Administration also routinely inspect our Lab regarding environmental testing, food testing, and security. Is the PHL currently conducting a risk assessment?Yes, it is. In addition to the routine inspections outlined above, the PHL has contracted with the Kleinfelder Company to conduct a risk and safety assessment of the facility. Kleinfelder is a national professional services firm specializing in natural and built environments for municipalities, government agencies, multinational companies and industrial concerns across the nation. The company is evaluating the types of activities conducted by the laboratories, and the effectiveness of the safeguards that are in place to protect both staff and the surrounding community. A community stakeholder group is working closely with the Lab throughout the process. A draft report of the risk assessment will be available online in mid-October, and a community meeting about the risk assessment will be held on November 6, 2008. Is the Lab planning to expand?Yes, the Department of Health» s ten-year capital plan calls for construction of a 10,000 square-foot addition during the 2009-2011 budget period. The project includes laboratory and receiving space, a partial basement and a large roof-top mechanical room. Customer service will improve because of the larger receiving area resulting in shorter turnaround times for samples. The Lab needs additional space so we can continue to do the work we» ve always done in the safest way possible. Population growth, increased demand for testing, and new diseases like West Nile virus all contribute to the need for more space. The addition will provide enough lab space for a Bio-Safety Level 3 (BSL 3) lab. The higher the bio-safety lab number, the higher the risk of exposure by inhaling infectious materials - so a BSL 3 lab has high construction standards. The primary activity of our BSL 3 lab is testing tuberculosis samples. It will include a training facility for agency staff and our partners and meet current and future demand for receiving samples for testing. We» re seeking permits to begin to prepare the site for the addition. Preparation will include excavation and installation of new utilities. This involves moving the gas, water, and storm water lines that run through the area where the addition will be located. We» ll also be installing the sewer line connection for the addition and re-routing the main electrical and telephone feeds that serve the building. The public will see construction workers in new trenches installing these systems. The state capital budgeting process requires that state agencies project potential needs over the next ten years. Our ten-year plan includes a preliminary estimate for a larger 29,000 square-foot expansion that could be built in 2015-2017. This is based on expected state population growth and the increased work that comes with it. We» re working on a master plan that addresses facility and space needs at the Lab over the coming 20 years. The risk and safety assessment and the master plan will help the department refine plans for any future addition over the next few years. Any Lab expansion must be approved by the state legislature before it can proceed. Is the PHL planning or building a BSL-4 laboratory?No, the PHL has not planned and is not building a BSL-4 laboratory. How much land will the Lab need for expansion?No additional land is needed for the addition planned for 2009-2011. Some additional land on the Fircrest campus will likely be needed for the expansion preliminarily scheduled for 2015-2017. There are many factors involved in determining exactly how much additional land will be needed. One is whether the Lab will have its own utilities or continue to use Fircrest utilities. Another is whether the government offices in the proposed Department of Social and Health Services Excess Property Master Plan could be used for Lab administrative offices. These and other issues are being explored in the Lab master planning process now underway. When that» s completed in June 2009, we» ll be able to determine how much land is needed in the future. What will this master planning process look like?The Lab master planning process will start in October when planning advisors will join leadership and staff from the PHL to assess the technical needs of the Lab in the next 20 years. The group will consider things like expected changes in equipment and technology, impacts of population growth, and how new diseases could affect demand for testing. A rough draft will be ready for review in February 2009. At that point we» ll work with the Shoreline community to see how these technical needs mesh with the community priorities and the Fircrest campus land-use plan. We will also work with the state Department of Social and Health Services to align our plan with their Excess Property Master Plan. Eventually, the two plans will be submitted to the City of Shoreline for approval. Could the Department of Health build a second floor over the existing lab building?The Lab was not designed structurally for a second floor. While technically it could be done, it would be very expensive. What role does the Lab play during an emergency?The PHL has a critical role during and after natural disasters and other emergencies. The Lab helps quickly identify diseases or other substances so we can track and respond to them to protect public health. Examples include testing for diseases during natural disasters or tracking the source of a foodborne outbreak. In all cases, samples sent to the Lab for testing are very small and are carefully packaged to protect the community and employees. Public agencies that provide critical services are asked to have a back-up site in case the main headquarters can» t operate in an emergency. The PHL serves this important function for the Department of Health administrative headquarters in Tumwater. After the December 2006 windstorm, there was no power at the Tumwater office so the agency used the Lab buildings as a temporary operations center. The facility has back-up systems that allow it to continue to operate in an emergency, like a snowstorm or earthquake. An onsite diesel generator can provide power, and there» s also a storage tank for the fuel needed. Shorecrest High School, Shoreline Community College, the fire and police stations, and the Fircrest School have similar back-up systems. What kind of » homeland security,» terrorism, or other crime-related testing is done at the Lab?The Lab would have a small but vital role assisting public safety officials during certain kinds of terrorist events. Though the vast majority of our work is routine testing and natural disease outbreaks, we participate in several emergency exercises each year with firefighters, police, and other first responders. The Lab, along with sister public health laboratories in other states, is part of a cooperative effort called the Laboratory Response Network. The Lab tests suspected white powder-type samples to assist law enforcement. These samples are analyzed in the BSL 3 lab by trained staff. The samples are small amounts, from the size of a cotton swab to a spoonful. We test these samples in a secure, contained area. This type of testing is rare. In 2007 the Lab tested only seven of this type of samples. Has the Lab facility been identified as a terrorist target?No, it has not. Law enforcement personnel have identified the Lab as » critical infrastructure,» which means it is an important facility to have available all the time. Hospitals, highway overpasses, and electrical transformers have similar designations. As » critical infrastructure,» we work with law enforcement to ensure the Lab is protected and it would remain up and running during emergencies. Since there» s easy public access to the Laboratory facility grounds, what are the security measures in place to prevent break-ins, burglary, etc.?The parking lot is monitored by cameras that record activity. There are also glass break alarms that are monitored during non-business hours. The campus has a 24-hour guard who watches the facility during non-business hours. Inside the Lab, doors are locked and require key cards to gain access during non-business hours. Some areas are covered by cameras that record activity and certain areas are only accessible by pre-approved personnel. What are your emergency plans in the event of a break-in, a natural disaster (e.g. earthquake), or other disaster (e.g. fire or terrorist attack) that causes a release or spill of hazardous products? How do those plans protect the community and the staff?Emergency plans focus on community and staff safety. The PHL has a Safety and Emergency Committee that verifies the nature of emergencies and determines the proper response which could include anything from simple cleanup to calling authorities. The community is further protected through coordination with local emergency responders. PHL is inspected routinely by Shoreline Fire and Police. The Lab is part of the Shoreline Emergency Management Council which coordinates emergency planning in Shoreline. The department is currently contracting for a risk and safety assessment that will further evaluate any safety concerns and may recommend additional security, procedures, or other safety measures. Do you have agreements and plans established with local police, fire, and emergency response agencies? What about schools?Local fire and police regularly visit and inspect our facility. In the past few years, fire and police have made recommendations which we have implemented. While no formal agreements exist with fire or police, we routinely coordinate and provide information about the Lab with these local first responders. As a member of the Shoreline Emergency Management Council, we take part in drills and other planning activities. The Shoreline Schools also have representatives on the council. The Emergency Management Council is appropriate group to coordinate emergency response among organizations. Schools also create their own emergency response plans that address all types of disasters. Is the Lab expanding into research activities?No, the Lab is not a research facility. Our employees work to identify, track, and monitor diseases and other health concerns to protect and improve the public» s health. |
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07/09/2009 03:35 PM
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