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Table 1: Agencies and their concerns for hazardous materials. |
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| Agency Name/Address/Telephone/Web Address | General Description of Purpose |
| Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) 1600 Clifton Rd. N.E. (E-28) Atlanta, GA 30333 (404) 639-0727 |
Provides guidance for responding to victims of acute
hazardous material exposures. For free publication: "Medical Management Guidelines"6 Call (404) 639-6357 |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) (404) 639-5313 |
Provides assistance for dealing with accidents and damage to packages containing biologic and etiologic hazards such as specimen. |
| Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN) 2170 South Parker Road, Suite 300 Denver, CO 80231-5711 (800) 755-2676 |
Publishes standards, recommended practices, and
guidelines each year. The followings topics relevant to hazardous
materials are addressed in the publication: (1)Environmental waste (2) Regulated medical waste (3)The use of chemical germicides (4)Chemical sterilization (5) Radiological exposure (6) Universal precautions (7) Chemical hazards11 |
| Association for the Advancement of Medical
Instrumentation (AAMI) 3330 Washington Blvd., Suite 400 Arlington, VA 22201 |
Establishes and publishes standards and recommended
practices for the effective application of present-day technologies
relative to medical instrumentation. The following topics relevant to
hazardous materials are addressed in the publication: (1) Ethylene oxide (2) Chemical sterilents (3) Safe handling of biologically contaminated instrumentation (4)Glutaraldehyde-based products (5) Radiation sterilization12 |
| Joint Commission on Accrediation for Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) | Addresses the management of hazardous materials in section EC.1.5 of the Comprehensive Accrediation Manual for Hospitals: The Official Handbook 13 |
| Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Technical Program Division Emergency Management Institute Emmitsburg, MD 21727 |
Responsible for federal training courses for hazardous materials. Publications: "Digest of Federal Training in Hazardous Materials." |
| Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) 301-443-4190 http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/general.html |
FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health is responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medical devices and eliminating unnecessary human exposure to man-made radiation from medical, occupational, and consumer products. |
| Food and Drug Administration (FDA) http://www.fda.gov/ |
Primary organization dedicated to ongoing oversight of medical supplies. |
| Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) | Has authority, under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, to issue citations if an employer fails to keep the workplace free of a recognized hazard that is or is likely to cause, death or serious physical harm, and that for which a feasible and useful method of abatement exists14 |
For a complete list of references click here
