ISO 15190:2020

Overview

ISO 15190:2020 - Medical laboratories - Requirements for safety - specifies requirements for safe practices in medical laboratories. The standard covers laboratory design, management systems, hazard identification, biosafety and biosecurity, chemical and physical hazards, emergency preparedness, and fire safety. ISO 15190:2020 is intended to help laboratories establish consistent, effective safety programs that protect staff, patients and the public.

Key Topics and Requirements

ISO 15190:2020 organizes safety into practical, auditable areas. Major technical topics include:

• Designing for safety
  • Preliminary planning, general design requirements, physical security and inventory controls.
• Safety management program
  • Management responsibilities, safety officer role, safety manual, training, audits and records.
• Hazard identification and risk assessment
  • Job hazard analysis, risk assessment methodologies and risk reduction measures.
• Biosafety and biosecurity
  • Work practices, engineering and administrative controls, containment levels, aerosol control, decontamination, biological safety cabinets and spill response.
• Chemical hazards
  • Classification, labelling, safety data sheets, toxic/corrosive/oxidizing materials, storage, spill and waste management.
• Physical hazards
  • Compressed gases, ventilation and indoor air quality (including fume hoods and BSCs), electrical safety, radiation and non‑ionizing sources, temperature, noise and pressure.
• Emergency preparedness and response
  • First aid, eyewash and drench shower requirements, spill response, incident management and continuity measures.
• Fire safety
  • Prevention, control and related training and procedures.

Practical Applications and Users

ISO 15190:2020 is used to develop, implement and audit laboratory safety programs. Typical users include:

• Medical and clinical laboratory managers seeking to align operations with international safety norms.
• Laboratory safety officers responsible for policies, training and incident response.
• Hospital and diagnostic laboratories implementing biosafety, chemical handling and emergency procedures.
• Facility designers and architects planning secure, functional laboratory layouts and ventilation.
• Accreditation bodies and auditors assessing compliance with safety requirements.
• Health and safety professionals integrating occupational health, immunization and psychological hazard controls.

Practical outcomes include safer lab layouts, documented safety manuals, structured training programs, formal risk assessments, improved waste management and better emergency readiness.

Related Standards (if applicable)

• ISO 15189 (Medical laboratories - Requirements for quality and competence)
• National biosafety and chemical safety regulations, local building and fire codes
• Occupational health standards (e.g., ISO and national OHS standards)

Keywords: ISO 15190:2020, medical laboratory safety, biosafety, biosecurity, risk assessment, safety management program, biological safety cabinets, chemical storage, emergency response.