Worker Safety and Glutaraldehyde in the Gastrointestinal Lab Environment

Cohen, Nancy L.; Patton, Carol

doi:10.1097/00001610-200603000-00002

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Water et al (2003) and Cohen and Patton (2006) reported that workers exposed to glutaraldehyde at concentrations ranging from 0.4 to 1.98 mg/m 3 had associated respiratory effects. Two confirmed cases of occupational asthma attributable to glutaraldehyde were reported with exposures ranging from below the limit of detection to 3.32 mg/m 3 (Sutton et al, 2007).…”

Section: Glutaraldehydementioning

confidence: 99%

Thresholds in chemical respiratory sensitisation

et al. 2015

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There is a continuing interest in determining whether it is possible to identify thresholds for chemical allergy. Here allergic sensitisation of the respiratory tract by chemicals is considered in this context. This is an important occupational health problem, being associated with rhinitis and asthma, and in addition provides toxicologists and risk assessors with a number of challenges. In common with all forms of allergic disease chemical respiratory allergy develops in two phases. In the first (induction) phase exposure to a chemical allergen (by an appropriate route of exposure) causes immunological priming and sensitisation of the respiratory tract. The second (elicitation) phase is triggered if a sensitised subject is exposed subsequently to the same chemical allergen via inhalation. A secondary immune response will be provoked in the respiratory tract resulting in inflammation and the signs and symptoms of a respiratory hypersensitivity reaction. In this article attention has focused on the identification of threshold values during the acquisition of sensitisation. Current mechanistic understanding of allergy is such that it can be assumed that the development of sensitisation (and also the elicitation of an allergic reaction) is a threshold phenomenon; there will be levels of exposure below which sensitisation will not be acquired. That is, all immune responses, including allergic sensitisation, have threshold requirement for the availability of antigen/allergen, below which a response will fail to develop. The issue addressed here is whether there are methods available or clinical/epidemiological data that permit the identification of such thresholds. This document reviews briefly relevant human studies of occupational asthma, and experimental models that have been developed (or are being developed) for the identification and characterisation of chemical respiratory allergens. The main conclusion drawn is that although there is evidence that the acquisition of sensitisation to chemical respiratory allergens is a dose-related phenomenon, and that thresholds exist, it is frequently difficult to define accurate numerical values for threshold exposure levels. Nevertheless, based on occupational exposure data it may sometimes be possible to derive levels of exposure in the workplace, which are safe. An additional observation is the lack currently of suitable experimental methods for both routine hazard characterisation and the measurement of thresholds, and that such methods are still some way off. Given the current trajectory of toxicology, and the move towards the use of non-animal in vitro and/or in silico) methods, there is a need to consider the development of alternative approaches for the identification and characterisation of respiratory sensitisation hazards, and for risk assessment.

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Section: Glutaraldehydementioning

confidence: 99%

Thresholds in chemical respiratory sensitisation

et al. 2015

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“…Glutaraldehyde exposure is also associated with various nasal, respiratory, and ocular symptoms Industrial Health 2007, 45, [289][290][291][292][293][294][295] and headache [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] . Exposure to glutaraldehyde has been shown to reduce FVC and FEV 1 among current and ex-employees 12,13) .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Work Practices on Personal Exposure to Glutaraldehyde among Health Care Workers

Nayebzadeh¹

2007

Ind Health

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Glutaraldehyde is a potential sensitizer and has been implicated in the literature as a cause of respiratory irritation and asthma among health care workers. In order to evaluate the effect of work practices and general ventilation system on employees' peak exposure to glutaraldehyde, 42 breathing zone personal air samples were taken in five hospitals. In addition, work practices were observed and recorded during the course of sampling and were classified into three categories. Presence of local or general ventilation system, air change per hour, and quantity of glutaraldehyde used were also recorded. Geometric mean concentration of all samples was 0.025 ppm (GSD=3.05). Statistical analysis indicated that work practice was the most important factor affecting the level of exposure to glutaraldehyde. In locations where "poor" or "unsafe" work practices were employed, the geometric mean concentrations were much higher (GM=0.05, GSD=2.11 and GM 0.08, GSD=1.52, respectively). The result has indicated higher prevalence of headache and itchy eyes among employees who worked where unsafe work practices were observed. Employing proper work practices can significantly reduce exposure to glutaraldehyde among health care workers. It has been recently proposed that the current occupational exposure limit of 0.2 ppm shall be reduced to either 0.1 or 0.05 ppm in the province of Québec (Canada). In this case, it is likely that concentration levels higher than these levels be experienced in some workplaces. Therefore, it is imperative that employers initiate necessary corrective action immediately.

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“…1 In this evaluation process, interdisciplinary team members should consider the potential health hazards associated with the disinfectant because serious reactions and other health hazards associated with exposure to highlevel disinfectants have been reported, including headache, ocular irritation and conjunctivitis, nasal membrane irritation and rhinitis, cough, skin staining, contact dermatitis, occupational asthma, and allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. 5,6 A discussion of health hazards should include input from personnel performing HLD, as well as those from occupational health, infection prevention, and regional health departments, with a key focus on protecting the health of those individuals using high-level disinfectants.…”

Section: Interdisciplinary Planningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guideline for manual chemical high‐level disinfection

Stanton¹

2018

AORN Journal

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Worker Safety and Glutaraldehyde in the Gastrointestinal Lab Environment

Cited by 12 publications

References 2 publications

Thresholds in chemical respiratory sensitisation

Thresholds in chemical respiratory sensitisation

The Effect of Work Practices on Personal Exposure to Glutaraldehyde among Health Care Workers

Guideline for manual chemical high‐level disinfection

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