We also provide the OR with prefilled containers for the smaller specimens.
For larger specimens we provide them with 3 different size containers (32
oz, 64 oz, and 164 oz) and 1 gallon bottles of formalin.  Surgery techs come
to histo once a week or so and shop for their supplies.  We have had no
problems with this arrangement.

Jennifer MacDonald


> 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
>