Control technology feasibility study of the use of engineering controls in hospitals, preliminary survey report of Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burroughs, G. Edward ; Kercher SL ; Spottswood SE
• Description:
  A preliminary survey of sterilization and anesthetic gas administration operations was conducted at the Veteran's Administration Medical Center, (SIC-8062), Cincinnati, Ohio on September 29, 1982. Gas sterilization procedures employed ethylene- oxide (75218) (EtO) to decontaminate medical supplies and equipment. Aeration of supplies and materials after sterilization was performed to eliminate hazardous residual quantities of EtO and its reaction products, ethylene-glycol (107211) and ethylene- chlorohydrin (107073). The principal engineering controls used were isolation, general dilution ventilation, and preventive equipment maintenance procedures. During the sterilization exhaust cycle, EtO concentrations ranged from 0 to 18 parts per million (ppm). The OSHA recommended limit is 50ppm. Since the greatest potential for exposure to EtO was during the exhaust cycle, special practices were developed to limit exposure. Engineering controls in the operating room included general dilution ventilation and local exhaust ventilation of the waste anesthetic gases. Ambient nitrous-oxide (10024972) concentrations ranged from about 5 to 300ppm, with a mean breathing zone concentration of 35ppm. It was concluded that EtO concentrations could be further reduced by using a local exhaust hood at the drain area of the exhaust cycle. While the anesthetic gas scavenging equipment was effectively employed, anesthesia equipment should be periodically checked for leaks.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Air Pollutants, Occupational Dust Hazardous Substances Ink Occupational Health Particulate Matter Preceptorship Printing Safety
• Keywords:
  Employee-exposure Equipment-design Field-Study Hospital-equipment Laboratory-workers NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Survey Region-5 Ventilation Worker-health
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHECTB14312a
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Studies ; Control Technology
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DPSE - Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-31
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00130202
• 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, ECTB 143-12a, 1983 Sep; :1-31
• CAS Registry Number:
  Ethylene oxide (CAS RN 75-21-8) ; Ethylene glycol (CAS RN 107-21-1) ; 2-Chloroethanol (CAS RN 107-07-3) ; Nitrous oxide (CAS RN 10024-97-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1983
• 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-512:021d0fa1a13891e468ac48cddccd77d2d42d5034dbab8396e968d01b53d295d1fe028d72493fb7e2a3e07d0947eb521f1662d6892a63459f426bb14f21ca23d4
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/179518/cdc_179518_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 527.44 KB ]