New OSHA Safety Handbooks on Molds and
Glutaraldehyde
[Posted
5/8/06]
The Occupational Safety and
Health Administrations (OSHA) published two new
guidebooks that have been posted at the OSHA
website.
Best Practices
for the Safe Use of Glutaraldehyde in Health Care
contains information for employers and employees
regarding glutaraldehyde, a toxic chemical used to
clean heat-sensitive medical, surgical, and dental
equipment. Glutaraldehyde has been used for decades
as a cold sterilant to disinfect devices such as
endoscopes, bronchoscopes, and dialysis equipment.
It is also used as a tissue fixative in histology
and pathology labs, and as a hardener in x-ray
developing. The recommendations in this handbook can
be used in healthcare facilities such as hospitals,
clinics, surgical centers, outpatient medical/dental
clinics, nursing homes, and other residential
healthcare facilities. Other important information
in this handbook includes the following:
-
Respiratory and dermatologic
conditions due to exposure to glutaraldehyde, such
as occupational asthma, rhinitis, and contact
dermatitis, can be mild to severe.
-
Although OSHA does not
currently mandate a permissible exposure limit (PEL),
the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) has a recommended exposure limit (REL)
of 0.2 ppm, established in 1989.
-
Effective exposure controls
such as good engineering controls (e.g. proper
ventilation and/or use of automated disinfection),
work practices, facility design considerations,
and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) can
minimize worker exposure.
-
Two alternatives to using
glutaraldehyde for high level disinfection
include: 1) the use of a drop in liquid chemical
disinfectant such as Cidex OPA® and
Sterilox® and 2) new enclosed
disinfectant equipment technologies such as Steris®
and Sterrad®.
-
General recommendations
regarding training/education, selection and use of
PPE, exposure monitoring, and spill/clean up
procedures as well as disposal practices are also
discussed in the handbook.
The OSHA handbook entitled
Preventing
Mold-Related Problems in the Indoor Workplace
offers recommendations on how to evaluate, prevent,
control, and address other problems due to mold in
the buildings. This guidebook was culled from a
review of the documents submitted to OSHA when it
was considering a proposed rule on indoor air
quality in 1994, which was subsequently withdrawn in
December 2001, and newer published scientific
literature about mold exposures. It contains a brief
overview on molds and a discussion of
building-related illnesses (BRI) plus a comparison
with sick-building syndrome. Preventive
maintenance/measures building evaluation including
sampling strategies, mold control, action control,
and allergic infections, and remediation are
discussed. There is also a section on what employees
need to do about mold in the workplace and a list of
OSHA programs and resources.
Related Link:
Best Practices for the Safe Use of Glutaraldehyde in Health Care
Preventing Mold-Related Problems in the Indoor Workplace
Return to News
Summary Page:
Occupational Health News & Analysis