We supply 172 oz containers half full of formalin - no large carboys in the
OR. At another place we had the larger specimens put in a red biohazard bag
and left in the fresh state. We had a light hooked up so that when the OR
staff brought a fresh specimen to the pickup area, the light was turned on
to alert us to make a pickup. This worked well because our lab was close to
the OR. Before we moved close to the OR, OR runners brought the fresh
specimens to the lab as soon as possible following removal.
Joyce Weems
Pathology Manager
Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta


	-----Original Message-----
	From:	George, Cheryl [SMTP:cgerorge@optima.org]
	Sent:	Wednesday, September 13, 2000 11:25 AM
	To:	'histonet@pathology.swmed.edu'
	Subject:	Formalin in the O.R.

	Hi out there,

	I could use some help.  Our laboratory is located in a hospital
setting from
	where we service several other hospital sites.  The hospital safety
	committee is trying to remove formalin from the operating room area.
	Currently, we supply the OR with prefilled smaller containers but do
not for
	the larger ones (such as a container for a colon, etc).  For those
	specimens, we provide an empty container and a 2.5 gallon carboy of
formalin
	so that the staff can place the specimen in the container and then
fill it
	with formalin.  I have always thought that this is safer than
prefilling the
	large ones mainly because if someone 'plops' a large specimen in a
prefilled
	one, it may splash.

	Can people please reply to me telling me how the situation is
handled in
	your hospitals?  The first round of meetings about this begins
Monday (9/18)
	and I would like to have some indication of what others are doing by
then.

	Thanks


	Cheryl George, HT (ASCP)
	Anatomic Pathology Supervisor
	NHML
	(603)663-2686
	cgerorge@optima.org