Evaluation of exposure to a hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and acetic acid containing cleaning and disinfection product and symptoms in hospital employees [2019]

Details

• Personal Author:
  Blackley, Brie H. ; Cox-Ganser Jean ; Harvey, R. Reid ; Nett, Randall J. ; Virji M. Abbas
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  The Health Hazard Evaluation Program received a confidential employee request for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to conduct a health hazard evaluation at a hospital. The request cited concerns about exposure of hospital employees to OxyCide®, a disinfectant cleaner that is one of a group of sporicidal products marketed under various trade names that contain hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and acetic acid, and described symptoms experienced by employees. Employee symptoms noted in the health hazard evaluation request included respiratory distress, skin problems, headaches, chest tightness, burning eyes, sore throat, and nausea. We evaluated employee health concerns and exposures to the three main chemicals, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and acetic acid, found in a sporicidal product used by hospital cleaning staff. Hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid were detected in all personal full-shift air samples. Some employees exposed to vapors from the sporicidal product reported work-related upper airway, eye, lower airway, and skin symptoms. We recommend management tailor use of sporicidal products containing hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and acetic acid to areas of high risk for healthcare-acquired infections and minimize the use of sporicidal products on noncritical surfaces and in non-patient areas. We also recommend management provide workplace accommodations for employees who develop symptoms related to the use of products containing hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and acetic acid. Additionally, we recommend several ways to reduce employee exposure to the hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and acetic acid vapors and liquids from the sporicidal product.
• Subjects:
  • Air Pollutants, Occupational
  • Disinfectants
  • Health Personnel
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Occupational Exposure
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE201701143357revised052023
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Pages in Document:
  37 numberered page
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:na
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/81628/cdc_81628_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1013.13 KB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8b79e1fc229b08672a611bfd53ddd9e2470f30ae679166a089722118eb2e5e78e8171943224f0e6d7b3f1dc6f5b5809e215bc97c94fc18eaf8e051212596b254