Drug Exposures in the Forensic Laboratory: What We Know, What We Can Learn

The recent rise in the illicit trade of highly toxic, synthetic drugs such as fentanyl has introduced a new set of potential health hazards to the forensic laboratory.

Proper management of this employee health risk can be extremely challenging considering that there are currently no established regulatory guidelines and few published studies on forensic laboratory drug exposures.

The primary goal of this presentation is to provide an overview of the current body of knowledge and a set of available best practices to aid forensic laboratory leadership in managing their risk.

Learning Objectives:

1. An understanding of the known risks associated with the handling of hazardous drugs.
2. A practical framework for the assessment, development, and improvement of laboratory safety systems.
3. An understanding of additional research needed to better understand occupational drug exposures risks.