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Evaluating OSHA’s Ethylene Oxide Standard: Exposure Determinants in Massachusetts Hospitals



Details

  • Personal Author:
  • Description:
    OBJECTIVES: This study sought to identify determinants of workplace exposures to ethylene oxide to assess the effect of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) 1984 ethylene oxide standard. METHODS: An in-depth survey of all hospitals in Massachusetts that used ethylene oxide from 1990 through 1992 (96% participation, N = 90) was conducted. Three types of exposure events were modeled with logistic regression: exceeding the 8-hour action level, exceeding the 15-minute excursion limit, and worker exposures during unmeasured accidental releases. Covariates were drawn from data representing an ecologic framework including direct and indirect potential exposure determinants. RESULTS: After adjustment for frequencies of ethylene oxide use and exposure monitoring, a significant inverse relation was observed between exceeding the action level and the use of combined sterilizer-aerators, an engineering control technology developed after the passage of the OSHA standard. Conversely, the use of positive-pressure sterilizers that employ ethylene oxide gas mixtures was strongly related to both exceeding the excursion limit and the occurrence of accidental releases. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence of a positive effect of OSHA's ethylene oxide standard and specific targets for future prevention and control efforts. [Description provided by NIOSH]
  • Subjects:
  • Keywords:
  • ISSN:
    0090-0036
  • Document Type:
    Text
  • Funding:
    Grant
  • Genre:
    Journal Article
  • Place as Subject:
  • CIO:
    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
  • Topic:
    Workplace Safety & Health
  • Location:
    North America
  • Pages in Document:
    412-417
  • Volume:
    91
  • Issue:
    3
  • NIOSHTIC Number:
    nn:20056719
  • Citation:
    Am J Public Health 2001 Mar; 91(3):412-417
  • Contact Point Address:
    Anthony D. LaMontagne, ScD, MA, MEd, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash Medical School at Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Prahan, Victoria 3181, Australia
  • Email:
    anthony.lamontagne@med.monash.edu.au
  • CAS Registry Number:
    Ethylene oxide (CAS RN 75-21-8)
  • Federal Fiscal Year:
    2001
  • Performing Organization:
    Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
  • Peer Reviewed:
    True
  • Start Date:
    19930801
  • Source Full Name:
    American Journal of Public Health
  • End Date:
    19960731
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:b74880a8cac0dc7420230004a4019182999f001a6dff4c145fb86498c8e70f3d11b5d89b4fadf1b2077bc2ff0f51d5b2ee227197d78ba6ce3d6dcfd42d43005d
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 79.22 KB ]
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