Reproductive Health Risk Evaluation in Histopathology Laboratories of the National Health Laboratory Service in South Africa

Introduction
The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) is a South African public health network consisting of more than 250 diagnostic pathology laboratories. The organisation employs approximately 6000 laboratory personnel providing services to 80% of the South African population. These laboratory workers (the majority of whom are females) may be exposed to various occupational health hazards during the course of their work, including chemical, physical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards. Some of these hazards may specifically affect the reproductive ability of both male and female workers.
The purpose of this study is to identify and prioritise reproductive health hazards to which workers within the histopathology laboratories of the NHLS might be exposed. This project also seeks to develop a simple self-assessment tool that would assist managers in the process of health hazard identification and risk prioritisation in their laboratories.

Methods
This is a descriptive, qualitative study divided into 4 phases: (1) Hazard Identification – based on the scientific literature, field observations and interviews, identifying potential reproductive health hazards in the NHLS histopathology laboratories; (2) Hazard and Risk Rating – the hazards identified will be qualitatively assessed and prioritised using a risk ranking tool; (3) Risk Validation – the exposure ratings for the hazards identified will be validated by conducting occupational hygiene field measurements in the histopathology laboratories; (4) Self-assessment reproductive health hazard evaluation tool development.

Results
The identification and evaluation of reproductive health risks will facilitate the process of reducing those risks by implementing mitigating measures following the hierarchy of control philosophy thereby protecting workers’ health.

Discussion
Although this study is conducted in histopathology laboratories the self-assessment tool developed could be applied or adapted to other types of healthcare laboratories.
During the conference the study methodology will be presented together with some preliminary results of the study.