Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-86-226-1769: Montgomery Hospital; Norristown, Pennsylvania

Details

• Personal Author:
  Crandall, Michael S.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  In response to a request from Montgomery Hospital (SIC-8062), Norristown, Pennsylvania, an evaluation was made of possible worker exposures to glutaraldehyde (111308) while disinfecting respiratory therapy equipment, bronchoscopes, physical therapy whirlpool tubs, surgical instruments, and anesthesia equipment parts. Breathing zone sample results ranged from none detected to 1.6mg/m3. Two results were greater than the 0.7mg/m3 ceiling evaluation criterion and a third value was 0.6mg/m3 averaged over a 15-minute exposure period. A health hazard was confirmed in the small animal research study area where glutaraldehyde was used as a sterilant and disinfectant of respiratory equipment. Concentrations of glutaraldehyde in eight personal breathing zone samples ranged from none detected to 1.5mg/m3. Six of these samples exceeded the acceptable limit. Questionnaires revealed that nine of 11 exposed workers reported irritative symptoms compatible with exposure to glutaraldehyde. Eye and throat irritation were the most prevalent. The author concludes that a health hazard existed from glutaraldehyde during disinfection and sterilizing procedures. The author recommends substitution of less hazardous materials for glutaraldehyde where possible, construction of a workstation with adequate local exhaust ventilation for glutaraldehyde use, installation of a dilution ventilation system in the whirlpool room, use of a long-handled applicator for cleaning the whirlpool facilities, and use of personal protective clothing when handling glutaraldehyde.
• Subjects:
  Aldehydes Disinfectants Formaldehyde Health Personnel Hospitals Occupational Health Safety Skin
• Keywords:
  Disinfecting Eye, Skin, And Respiratory Irritation General Medical And Surgical Hospitals Glutaraldehyde Hazard-Confirmed Health-care-personnel HETA-86-226-1769 Hospital-equipment NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report OSHA Region 3 Sterilizing

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA862261769
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Pennsylvania ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  15 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Morris, Linda
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00169499
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB87-205894
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HETA 86-226-1769, 1987 Jan ; :1-19
• CAS Registry Number:
  Glutaraldehyde (CAS RN 111-30-8)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1987
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  8062 - General medical & surgical hospitals - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:637f287cc26dc896811c49e071a66fddb9421a303009c7bd616c26e617d8494504697d997a149d0ec76aa112d4971bed96635d5ee3f0d0bb02f6705d20a131c4
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172108/cdc_172108_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 156.63 KB ]