Tiffin S M, Noble M A
Clinical Microbiology Proficiency Testing, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia and.
Can J Infect Dis. 1999 May;10(3):246-51. doi: 10.1155/1999/658649.
To determine the degree of compliance with Transport Canada's Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations for transporting infectious substances in Canada.
A three-phase study including observation of packages arriving at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) provincial laboratory; observation of requested samples of either an Escherichia coli culture or serum, not human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or HbsAg positive, from laboratories; and a questionnaire concerning training and certification of packers in laboratories.
During phase 1, 500 packages arriving at the BCCDC provincial laboratory were assessed. All arrived intact, with 384 (76.8%) in a firm outer package. Only 178 (35.6%) contained absorbent material. Six samples were known to contain human immunodefiency virus or hepatitis B; all were appropriately packaged. Of the remainder, 11 (2.2%) were considered overpackaged, 192 (38.4%) acceptably packaged and 191 (38.2%) inadequately packaged. In phase 2, 138 requested packages were assessed. All arrived intact, 132 (95.7%) in a firm outer package. Ninety-six (69.6%) contained absorbent material. Only six (4.3%) were considered inadequately packaged. In phase 3, 171 laboratories responded to a questionnaire. Fifty-nine were from small laboratories, 53 from intermediate laboratories and 23 from large laboratories. Most laboratories (55.4%) relied on in-house resources to train packers. Only 26 (15.3%) facilities had no certified packers, and 60.8% noted they had a formal copy of the regulations available in the laboratory. Laboratory characteristics associated with the likelihood of overpackaging included number of technologists (χ(2)=5.72; P=0.058), number of samples processed by laboratories (χ(2)=8.46; P=0.015) and being a private laboratory as opposed to being a hospital laboratory (Fisher Exact two-tailed 0.040).
Canadian laboratories tend to package safely and within the acceptable range of regulation, although not within the precision of regulation. Most laboratories have trained and certified packers. The most common error is the use of outer packaging that is not firm. Larger laboratories tend to overpackage resulting in increased costs.
确定加拿大各实验室在运输感染性物质时对加拿大运输部《危险货物运输条例》的遵守程度。
一项分三个阶段的研究，包括观察抵达不列颠哥伦比亚疾病控制中心（BCCDC）省级实验室的包裹；观察来自各实验室的、非人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）或乙肝表面抗原（HbsAg）阳性的大肠杆菌培养物或血清的送检样本；以及一份关于实验室包装人员培训和认证情况的调查问卷。
在第一阶段，对抵达BCCDC省级实验室的500个包裹进行了评估。所有包裹均完好无损送达，其中384个（76.8%）有坚固的外包装。只有178个（35.6%）装有吸水材料。已知有6个样本含有人类免疫缺陷病毒或乙肝病毒；所有这些样本的包装均恰当。其余样本中，11个（2.2%）被认为包装过度，192个（38.4%）包装合格，191个（38.2%）包装不当。在第二阶段，对138个送检包裹进行了评估。所有包裹均完好无损送达，132个（95.7%）有坚固的外包装。96个（69.6%）装有吸水材料。只有6个（4.3%）被认为包装不当。在第三阶段，171个实验室回复了调查问卷。其中59个来自小型实验室，53个来自中型实验室，23个来自大型实验室。大多数实验室（55.4%）依靠内部资源培训包装人员。只有26个（15.3%）机构没有经过认证的包装人员，60.8%的机构表示实验室有该条例的正式文本。与包装过度可能性相关的实验室特征包括技术人员数量（χ(2)=5.72；P=0.058）、实验室处理的样本数量（χ(2)=8.46；P=0.015）以及是私立实验室而非医院实验室（Fisher精确双侧检验P=0.040）。
加拿大各实验室倾向于进行安全包装且在条例可接受范围内，但并非完全精确符合条例要求。大多数实验室有经过培训和认证的包装人员。最常见的错误是使用不坚固的外包装。较大的实验室往往包装过度，导致成本增加。
