HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Chemical Hazards

Many hazardous chemicals are present in healthcare settings, which may pose an exposure risk for healthcare workers, patients, and others. These chemicals are used to do the following:

• Treat patients (e.g., antineoplastic drugs, aerosolized medications, anesthetic gases)
• Clean, disinfect and sterilize work surfaces (e.g., phenolics, quaternary ammonium compounds, bleach) and medical supplies and instruments (e.g., ethylene oxide, glutaraldehyde)
• As a fixative for tissue specimens (e.g., xylene, toluene, formaldehyde)

Surgical smoke generated by lasers and electrosurgical devices during surgical procedures contains many chemical substances, in addition to viruses and bacteria.

Hazardous Drugs

• NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings, 2016
• Chemical Safety/NIOSH
• Hazardous Drug Exposures in Health Care
• Occupational Exposure to Antineoplastic Agents and Other Hazardous Drugs
• Workplace Solutions: Medical Surveillance for Health Care Workers Exposed to Hazardous Drugs

Ethylene Oxide

• Ethylene Oxide
• Ethylene Oxide (EtO): Evidence of Carcinogenicity

Formaldehyde

• Public Health Statement for Formaldehyde
• Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities
• Formaldehyde – NIOSH Resources

Glutaraldehyde

• Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities
• Glutaraldehyde
• Glutaraldehyde: Occupational Hazards in Hospitals

Anesthetic Gases

• Waste Anesthetic Gases - Occupational Hazards in Hospitals

Surgical Smoke

• Control of Smoke from Laser/Electric Surgical Procedures

Latex

• Occupational Latex Allergies

General resources

• The Effects of Workplace Hazards on Female Reproductive Health
• Reproductive Health and the Workplace