OSHA Publishes Ethylene Oxide Guide for Small Businesses

Hospital and health workers are not strangers to the everyday dangers involved in their line of work, such as exposure to violent patients, unhealthy lifting situations or even unexpected failures of protective equipment such as gloves or scrubs. However, there are some concerns in the health workplace that are much more difficult to prepare for – largely because they are invisible. As the role of a risk manager is to be prepared for every possible work situation which could pose a hazard to the safety of employees, the ability to recognize dangers that are not readily apparent “in the field” is an important one.

One such hazard in health care is exposure to ethylene oxide. A sterilizing agent that is used in hospitals and clinics to reduce the risk of infection, ethylene oxide (also known as EtO, EO or E.O.) is odorless and colorless, making it difficult to detect until concentrations have risen to the level where they can cause serious harm. Given that EtO is not only hazardous if inhaled, but also flammable, the proper use and storage of this gas is a priority for risk managers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has produced the Small Business Guide for Ethylene Oxide, which is meant to explain the regulatory concepts governing the gas’ use, as well as help introduce safer practices in workplaces where EtO is present.

While EtO is mainly used in special chambers that seal around medical equipment prior to sterilization, the OSHA guide focuses on the monitoring of general air quality in areas which may be exposed to either EtO devices, pipelines transporting the substance or stored EtO canisters. The potential for leaks which are undetectable to human senses poses one of the greatest threats associated with this dangerous gas. As a result, a significant portion of the guide is devoted to explaining acceptable methods and standards surrounding air testing

OSHA divides monitoring into three distinct areas: personal monitoring, area monitoring and leak detection. Compliance with OSHA’s EtO standard is derived mainly from personal monitoring, which must be done by any workers potentially exposed to the presence of EtO gas. Typically, this is performed using wearable passive diffusion monitors that collect samples of the air from the employee’s breathing zone over the course of a shift. Risk managers must have these samples analyzed in a lab in order to determine their compliance with the EtO standard. In addition to personal monitoring, OSHA recommends area monitoring through fixed devices mounted near possible EtO emitters. Leak detection is required for those businesses who have demonstrated unacceptable levels of EtO exposure, and it must be accomplished as part of a routine leak checkup

Ethylene oxide exposure limits and standards are a complex topic, but the OSHA publication goes to great lengths in order to simplify the requirements surrounding this important safety issue. It also offers answers to some of the most often asked questions regarding EtO compliance, making it a valuable resource for risk managers.