New publication on exposure and non-exposure incidents from 2016 to 2022

In May 2024, Laboratory Incident Notification Canada published a comprehensive analysis of exposure and non-exposure incidents from 2016 to 2022 in the Canada Communicable Disease Report, including insights into exposure and non-exposure reports that aren’t typically highlighted.

From 2016 to 2022, Laboratory Incident Notification Canada recorded 361 exposure incidents, 355 non-exposure incidents, and 111 “other” events. On average, this amounted to 51.6 exposures, 50.7 non-exposures and 15.9 “other” events per year. Notably, 2018 saw the highest rate of incidents, with the average reaching 9.44 exposure and 7.11 non-exposure incidents per 100 active licences. The exposure incidents rate decreased over time, reaching the lowest rate of 3.7 exposure incidents per 100 active licences in 2022.

Exposure incidents were described by severity, occurrence, and root cause. Severity, as described by reporters, can be negligible, minor, moderate, major, or catastrophic. Most exposures were negligible or minor (84%), meaning there was minimal to low risk for disease in facility personnel and no or low risk to public health. In general, sharp-related (23%) and procedure-related (23%) issues were the most frequently cited exposure occurrence types. The most frequently observed root causes were:

•         standard operating procedures (24%)
•         human factors (21%)
•         equipment (13%)

Specifically, root causes related to human factors increased while root causes related to standard operating procedures decreased over time.

Among the 781 individuals affected in the exposure incidents, 1% (n=8) developed laboratory-acquired infections while 2% (n=17) were suspected of having a laboratory-acquired infection. Technicians or technologists (74%) were the most frequently exposed, followed by students (10%). Most of the exposed individuals received some form of intervention treatment, with the most common being occupational health consultation within seven days of exposure.

Between 2018 and 2022, most non-exposure incidents involved inadvertent possession or production of human pathogens and toxins. Inadvertent release (21%) and missing or lost biological agents (15%) peaked in 2021.

To access the full report, please visit the following link.

Remember that reporting of exposure incidents is an obligation under the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act. Non-compliance with this obligation is an offence and can result in enforcement actions, such as the issuance of a Notice of Non-Compliance, which is added to your facility's compliance history. Enforcement actions may escalate based on the frequency or severity of the non-compliance, such as: corrective action requests, increased regulatory scrutiny, suspension or revocation of licences, fines, or criminal prosecution as per the Compliance and Enforcement continuum from the Compliance and Enforcement Policy.