Evaluating possible occupational health hazards: a free resource for healthcare workplaces - May 2010
Employers and employees (or labor organization representing employees) can get help from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for concerns about possible health hazards in the workplace. NIOSH is in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Department of Health and Human Services. The mission of NIOSH is to generate new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transfer that knowledge into practice for the betterment of workers. To accomplish this mission, NIOSH conducts scientific research, develops guidance and authoritative recommendations, disseminates information, and responds to requests for workplace health hazard evaluations.
NIOSH has a team of health professionals (including doctors and industrial hygienists) who provide assistance to employers and employees through its health hazard evaluation (HHE) program. They respond to HHE requests in writing, by phone discussions, or by visiting the workplace to evaluate whether a health hazard is present. To learn more about the NIOSH program, visit the website www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe.
For many types of problems, employers and employees can address concerns on their own using available information. For example, NIOSH has posted comprehensive information and step-by-step guidance on problems related to air quality, water incursion and mold, ventilation, and temperature on its website (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/).
Other types of problems may benefit from the assistance of the NIOSH HHE program. Two recent evaluations in the healthcare sector have addressed operating room hazards. In one, HHE program scientists looked at potential hazards from ceiling mounted UV lamps. Although UV-C exposures were above NIOSH recommended limits, protective clothing adequately reduced the exposures. The hospital evaluated has since stopped using the UV lamps, the best approach to protecting their employees. The full report is available at http://www2a.cdc.gov/hhe/
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In the other, HHE program scientists evaluated employee exposures to noise in the operating rooms, especially during procedures where loud surgical instruments were used. None of the measured exposure exceeded occupational exposure limits, however noise levels were higher than guideline established to minimize speech interference for employees. Using quieter powered surgical instruments would be the most effective way to reduce noise exposures in ORs and to minimize speech interference and risk of noise-induced hearing loss. The full report is available at http://www2a.cdc.gov/hhe/
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