The College of Pharmacy at the University of Basrah, in cooperation with the Directorate of Civil Defense in Basrah, held a workshop entitled (Community Awareness in the Field of Occupational Safety) with the participation of researchers and specialists. The workshop included two lectures, the first of which was by Lieutenant Colonel Tayseer Abd Ali Abd, Director of Training and Rehabilitation for the Directorate of Civil Defense in Basrah, in which he explained how to deal with accidents, combustion chemistry, fire and ignition theory, materials suitable for combating accidents, as well as spreading the culture of safety and prevention on a large scale among members of society. As for the second lecture, the lecturer at the College of Pharmacy, Prof. Dr. Hussein Hassan, explained the basics of chemical laboratory safety and the most important problems related to the health and safety of people and the environment, and also explained the most important risks in laboratories, which are chemical hazards (such as dust, smoke, spray, and fumes) and physical hazards, including fire and electrical hazards. And the risks of biotechnology such as tools and computers, and biological hazards such as the causes of blood diseases. And stressed the need to follow safety measures such as wearing special kits for each type of laboratory, as well as gloves, eye shields, and masks, in addition to developing integrated plans to avoid damage and accidents. The workshop recommended following the aspects of safety and prevention and reviewing plans, as well as the formation of the self-protection teams and the continuation of training. There is a vision to create a manual (brochure) for laboratories in addition to making field practices in the practical application of what was proposed in theory.
