Hospital Employee Health 2005-07-01

TOPOFF showdown: Mask confusion reigns in terrorism drill in CT and NJ

If another major terrorist event occurs in the United States, the protection of health care workers may be affected by confusion over whos in charge and what respiratory protection is needed, safety experts say.

Correction

In an article on rapid HIV tests in the April 2005 issue of Hospital Employee Health, the explanation of the specificity and sensitivity of the tests was misstated.

NJ issues respirator guidance

To resolve disagreement about what protection is needed to treat victims of bioterrorism when the agent is pneumonic plague, the New Jersey Depart-ment of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) in Trenton issued this guidance.

First receivers can rely on protection from PAPRs

In New London, CT, terrorists set off a car bomb on a crowded pier. The explosion at first belies the greater threat: Mustard gas disperses throughout the crowd attending a festival.

Preparedness training lacks clear goals

In late May, officials still were reviewing TOPOFF3 for lessons learned. But heres an obvious one: Adequate training of health care workers is critical.

OSHA: EtO rule still needed to protect HCWs

Overexposures to ethylene oxide (EtO) still occur and a regulatory standard remains necessary to protect workers, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) concluded after an extensive review of the standard.1

It takes a blitz to promote needle safety

Changing habits is a lot more difficult than switching to safety devices. Almost five years after passage of a federal law requiring the use of safer sharps, hospitals still are struggling to reduce needlesticks and sharps injuries.

Why a ‘no-lift’ policy may not be good enough

Look beyond the lift to prevent ergonomic injuries. Stress, working conditions, and other psychosocial factors play a role as well, recent research shows.

OSHA finally may update ionizing radiation rule

More than 30 years after first creating a standard on ionizing radiation, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) wants to determine if the rule needs an update. The review was prompted by the growth in potential exposures to ionizing radiation with new medical uses and increased prevalence of security screening devices, OSHA said.

AOHP survey: Needle safety is top concern

Needle safety continues to be a top concern of employee health professionals, according to a member survey by the Association of Occupational Health Professionals (AOHP), based in Wexford, PA.

Hospital Employee Health – July 1, 2005

July 1, 2005