Malignant Cells

Details

• Personal Author:
  Miller, Aubrey K.
• Description:
  Reports of cancer from expo- sure to malignant cells are quite rare. However, the most likely route of occupational transmission appears to involve needlestick or sharp object (i.e., surgical instruments, histologic tissue cutters, broken pipettes) injuries to workers' hands. Injuries whereby malignant cells are cutaneously injected or possibly implanted into an open wound probably have the greatest likelihood of occurrence and ultimate viability. A review of studies reporting needlestick injuries found that 34-50% of health care workers were injured and that 10-70% of those injuries were due to recapping of needles. Studies of hospital workers have shown that the highest incidence of needles tick injuries occur in housekeeping personnel (during trash disposal) and laboratory and nursing personnel (during needle disposal or recapping) Pathologists and surgeons have also been shown to be at increased risk for cutaneous injuries from sharp instruments and needlesticks (especially those involving the distal fingers of the nondominant hand) during operative procedures. Although the incidence of cutaneous injuries resulting from sharps contaminated with viable cancer cells is unknown, it probably represents only a small fraction of the cutaneous injuries incurred by potentially exposed workers. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Glass Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Health Personnel Histology Laboratories Needlestick Injuries Neoplasms Occupational Health Pathology Safety

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• Keywords:
  Cancer Cell Biology Cellular Structures Glass Products Health Care Health Care Facilities Health Care Personnel Infection Control Laboratory Equipment Laboratory Workers Malignancy Needlestick Injuries Nurses Nursing Surgeons

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• ISBN:
  9780442016777
• Publisher:
  Van Nostrand Reinhold
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Book
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 8
• 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:
  476-478
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20023308
• Citation:
  Physical and biological hazards of the workplace. Wald PH, Stave GM, eds. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1994 Apr; :476-478
• Editor(s):
  Wald PH; Stave GM
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1994
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Physical and biological hazards of the workplace
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:48631e4f250f193a2e783b6cf8221003abcb55b8377569ad2acab200b440b7dc9033d067d1effeec491bd4d85f1f07beb227bf046509e4675592730fcf956037
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/195822/cdc_195822_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 519.16 KB ]