Autopsy Laboratory

Abstract

The environs devoted to autopsy activities should be large enough to comfortably house evisceration tables, dissection tables,a cooler for storage of bodies and supplies, cabinets for equipment, shelving for fixed specimens and unused containers, a photography stand (see Chapter 1), an X-ray machine and view box, sinks for rinsing organs, sinks for washing hands, and sufficient office space for all related paperwork.The laboratory must be well lit, amply ventilated (1) and minimally cluttered. Step stools and wastebaskets should be situateda way from the main routes of traffic. If possible, shelving for containers with fixed specimens should not be placed above eye level. A sturdy cart should be available for transferring large, heavy containers from one place in the laboratory to another. Frequently used equipment, such as scissors, knives, scalpels, specimen containers, pencils, tissue cassettes, and labels, should be readily accessible, free of gross contamination, and neatly arranged. Balances must be available that can accurately weigh specimens as large as livers and as smallas parathyroid glands. They must be calibrated on a routine basis, such as every six months. Telephones should be abundantly installed throughout the area to allow for ready access when answering pages.