Infection Control Today - Operating Room - Hazardous MaterialsEmergencies in Surgery

May 1, 2000

Article

Table 1: Agencies and their concerns for hazardous materials.

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"

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 hazards

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 sterilization

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

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

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)

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 exists

For a complete list of references click here

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