Run day-to-day laboratory operations so that examinations are performed correctly, on time and safely.
Responsibilities
Operations
- Plan duty rosters and workload; ensure adequate competent staff in each section and shift.
- Monitor turnaround time and sample flow from collection to report; resolve delays.
- Maintain stock of reagents and consumables; raise indents; check incoming material and record lot numbers and expiry.
- Ensure equipment is maintained, calibrated and verified as scheduled; arrange service and record breakdowns.
- Ensure environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) are monitored and recorded.
Quality
- Ensure IQC is run and recorded before patient results are released; escalate failures to the Consultant.
- Coordinate EQA / ILC sample processing and result submission.
- Report non-conformities, complaints and incidents; implement corrective actions in the section.
- Keep technical records complete and traceable.
People
- Induct and train staff; carry out competence assessments of technical staff as delegated.
- Ensure safety, biosafety and biomedical waste rules are followed.
Authorities and authorizations (ISO 15189:2022 6.2.3)
Prepared using Docuveda - A Qualityveda Product
- Assign work and approve rosters and leave of technical staff.
- Stop an examination or instrument when IQC fails or equipment is faulty (inform the Consultant).
- Raise indents for reagents and consumables.
- LIS: view and enter; edit before release as authorized; no release of reports unless authorized.
Activities and tests the person is authorized for are recorded in the Authorization Matrix (F/010)
after competence assessment.
Competence requirements (ISO 15189:2022 6.2.2)
- Technical procedures of the sections supervised; IQC rules; equipment operation and maintenance.
- Inventory and workflow management; LIS operation.
- ISO 15189:2022 awareness, safety and biomedical waste rules.
Competence assessment frequency: Initial assessment before independent work; at 6 months for new staff; then every year; and after a recent method / instrument or absence of more than 6 months (Competence Assessment Schedule F/015).
Ethics, confidentiality and impartiality
- Act impartially and ethically; do not allow commercial, financial or other pressure to influence work or results (ISO 15189:2022 4.1, 6.2.1 b).
- Keep all patient and laboratory information confidential, during and after employment (4.2.3); signed Confidentiality Undertaking (F/004) on file.
- Declare any conflict of interest; no incentive linked to test numbers or results is accepted (NABL 112A •4 a); Impartiality h Conflict of Interest Declaration (F/005) on file.
- Work within the management system: follow controlled SOPs, record work at the time it is done, report non-conformities and complaints.
Health and safety
- Follow laboratory safety, biosafety and spill procedures; use the PPE required for the task.
- Segregate and dispose of biomedical waste as per the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules.
- Report needle-stick injuries, exposures and accidents immediately; take post-exposure prophylaxis as advised.
- Hepatitis B vaccination status and other occupational-health records maintained (F/009).