Industrywide studies report of an industrial hygiene survey report, Bayne-Jones U.S. Army Community Hospital, Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Elliott, Larry J.
• Description:
  Area air and breathing zone samples were analyzed for ethylene-oxide (75218) in the Central Material Supply area of Bayne-Jones Army Hospital (SIC-8062), Fort Polk, Louisiana, October, 1984. The survey was part of a NIOSH industrywide study of ethylene-oxide exposures. Ethylene-oxide was used at the facility to sterilize heat sensitive medical supplies. Work practices were observed and engineering controls were inspected. Ethylene-oxide concentrations in the breathing zone samples ranged from nondetectable to 2.57 parts per million (ppm) and from nondetectable to 20.5ppm in the area samples. The OSHA time weighted average standard is 50ppm and the action level standard is 0.5ppm. Improper work practices such as manually removing sterilized goods from the sterilizer, not using gloves when transferring sterilized goods from the sterilizer rack to the aerator, and not using respiratory protection when operating the sterilizer were observed. There were no local exhaust hoods above the doors of the sterilizer, at the air break between the vacuum line and drain, or at the safety release valve on the sterilizer. The author concludes that breathing zone ethylene-oxide exposures exceed the OSHA action level. Recommendations include improving work practices and installing engineering controls. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Content Notes:
  in NTRL, no pdf
• Subjects:
  Hazardous Substances Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Preceptorship Safety Ventilation
• Keywords:
  NIOSH-Author; NIOSH-Survey; Field-Study; Health-care-facilities; Industrial-processes; Work-practices; Protective-measures; Safety-practices; Toxic-vapors; Ventilation-systems; Region-6
• Series:
  Industry Wide Field Studies
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Louisiana ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 6
• 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:
  1-23
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00148152
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB85234474
• 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, IWS 152-10, 1985 Apr; :1-23
• CAS Registry Number:
  Ethylene oxide (CAS RN 75-21-8)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1985
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  8062 - General medical & surgical hospitals - (SIC)
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7dc847c09aedf140bc731323e8446b4703641ae07d6ad9e7b7238120dab30b8f7dcaa9b938d34d035f87873a0fe7fec262d5d13dcaf290925445e82b6de3b57d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/233339/cdc_233339_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 168.02 KB ]