Safety in the histochemistry laboratory

Histochemistry and histopathology laboratories are extremely dangerous workplaces owing to the abundance of chemical hazards that constitute major safety and health concerns. A brief review is presented of some of the hazards to which laboratory personnel are exposed. These include fixatives, solvents, embedding media, dyes and stains, and histochemical substrates. Laboratory staff should be fully informed of the dangers and potential long-term health hazards and take the necessary precautionary measures. Despite the abundance of chemical hazards in the histochemistry laboratory, the overall number of work accidents and injuries remains low.