The third edition of safe handling of hazardous drugs provides nurses with the latest details and procedures needed to keep safe in the workplace. Epa inaction in identifying hazardous waste pharmaceuticals may result in unsafe disposal. In an effort to provide a safe working environment, nurses should be aware of the. Chemotherapy and other hazardous drugs safe use guidelines. Hazardous drugs hds are defined by the national institute for occupational safety and health niosh, 2004 using one or more of the following criteria. Sign up for our free eweekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox. Ons recommendations for safe handling of hazardous drugs. In order to further promote safety, usp requires dedicated storage for hds, meaning refrigerated hds must be stored in their own refrigerator. Principal investigators pis are required to assess the exposure hazards of their work with chemotherapy and other hazardous drugs to determine the appropriate precautions and controls to be taken. The literature also documents the effects of these hds on other organ. Hd identification, hd risk assessments, hd officer hdo, hd safety and health plan. A comprehensive hazardous drug program, similar to a hazardous chemical program, will address these risks. Table adapted from white paper safe handling of hazardous drugs in health care.
All other hazardous drugs not labeled or listed for disposal in the blue bin should be placed in an appropriate bin per the entitys guidelines for nonhazardous waste disposal. In previous articles, roussel and connor have covered the adverse health effects of hazardous drugs, contamination of the workplace, and biomarkers of effect and exposure. Controlling occupational exposure to hazardous drugs osha. Health and safety practices survey of healthcare workers. Many of these workers treat small companion animals primarily cats and dogs, but also larger animals such as horses, with antineoplastic and other drugs that may. Hazardous materials pdf files browse our collection of hazardous materials files in pdf format. The selfassessment of safe handling practices for hazardous drugs was developed to assist health care organizations and individuals who handle hazardous drugs hds understand and comply with regulatory standards and guidelines. How many hours a week do you usually work with hazardous drugs either handling or in the area where they are being han.
Safe handling of hazardous drugs christopher lipowski. Continual or frequent exposures to low levels of hazardous drugs, or a single exposure to a larger amount, can put. Provide training to employees on the hazards of antineoplastic drugs and safe handling precautions to minimize exposure. A discharge teaching pamphlet on safe handling for the caregivers of patients receiving hazardous drugs was created and piloted. Developed by leading experts in the field, the selfassessment addresses. Other points about safe handling of hazardous medications be familiar with the policy. Download amerinets safe handling of hazardous drugs toolkit pdf. Pdf hazardous drug handling awareness among faculty members. In addition to a trade news release work precautions for handling hazardous drugs highlighted by niosh, osha, joint commission. Developing and implementing appropriate procedures overseeing entity compliance with chapter and other applicable laws, regulations and standards. In the course of the past year, have you had any changes in your general health. For hazardous drugs used in the healthcare setting, these tasks will be performed in the appropriate pharmacy.
Safety and health topics hazardous drugs additional. Most of the drugs that match the hd description are cytotoxic antineoplastic. This document provides guidelines for the safe handling and waste management of hazardous drugs based on current evidence and best practice. Accidental exposure during receiving, compounding, administration, disposal, or spills create risks of harm to our employees. Selfassessment of safe handling practices for hazardous drugs. Hazard to the health care professionals from hazardous. All personnel required to transport, reconstitute or administer hazardous drugs or handle anything potentially contaminated with the unchanged drug or active metabolites should consult their local institutional policy and procedure, state legislation and. Veterinary healthcare employees working where hazardous drugs are handled may face health risks. Toolkit for safe handling of hazardous drugs for nurses in. Common cleaner can turn into poison gas article that urges you to heed the warnings provided by product labeling. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that employees with potential exposure to hazardous drugs receive the appropriate training prior to working with the substance. Safe procedure development to manage hazardous drugs in. Use of hazardous drugs pharmacy safety oshacademy free.
Dedicated storage for hazardous drugs blueview blog. Best practices for the safe handling of hazardous drugs mainly intended for the health care industry, this book provides an overview of current knowledge on hazardous drugs, describes how to perform a risk assessment and gives examples of best practices for each stage of handling hazardous drugs. Institutional policies vary and the use of personal protective equipment is inconsistent. Ensuring readiness for usp chapter on handling hazardous drugs.
This toolkit will address safety concerns for oncology nurses in a standardized way, pulling together the best available information into a quick reference format to help ensure you are meeting the most current safety standards. Sample medical history questionnaire for hazardous drug handlers a. Safe handling of hazardous materials and environmental safety. The assessment includes, at a minimum, the types, forms and volumes of.
Healthcare workers hcws potentially are exposed to hds in the workplace during drug preparation, administration, and disposal and when handling patients. Pharmacopeial convention document, hazardous drugshandling in healthcare settings, commonly referred to as chapter 800, has recommendations for the use of ppe that align with onss. In addition to these new sections, each chapter includes key points to help highlight the most important information for nurses dealing with hazardous drugs. The risks handling these drugs are much reduced compared to cytotoxic drugs. Another way to look at this, is drugs are chemicals. Preventing occupational exposure to antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs in health care settings issued in 2004. Assessment, planning, and implementation activity overview the countdown is on to july 1, 2018, which marks the official implementation date for usp general chapter titled, hazardous drugshandling in healthcare settings.
Best practices for the safe handling of hazardous drugs 5 hazardous drugs are specific drugs with the potential to harm workers who are exposed to them. The newly released united states pharmacopeial convention usp chapter. Compliance with new hazardous drug safe handling standards may require changes in nursing. Feedback identified the need for clarity of complex information in existing hdhc resources, revision of the spillhandling policy, practical training about how to handle spills, and description of procedures for drugs not listed in the existing hazardous drug list. Many of these workers treat small companion animals primarily cats and dogs, but also larger animals such as horses, with antineoplastic and other drugs that may be hazardous to humans. Safe handling of hazardous materials and environmental safety 2017 jhs annual mandatory education. The toxic effects and safe handling of hazardous drugs are issues of major concern to healthcare professionals. This is video safe handling of hazardous drugs by stratdv video production on vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Guidelines for the safe handling of hazardous drugs have been in place since the late 1980s. Handling hds includes, but is not limited to, the receipt, storage, compounding, dispensing, administration, and disposal of sterile and nonsterile products and preparations.
All personnel who are involved in any aspect of the handling of hazardous drugs, such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, housekeepers, and employees involved in receiving, transporting, or storing must receive information and training to protect them in the work area. This chapter describes practice and quality standards for handling hazardous drugs hds to promote patient safety, worker safety, and environmental protection. Niosh list of antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs in healthcare settings, 2016 dhhs niosh publication no. Hazardous drugs hds are chemicals that demonstrate one or more of the following characteristics. Chapter 800 also outlines additional components, such as use of cstds, hierarchy of control requirements, and hcw training and communication. Safe handling of hazardous drugs in 2004 set out to develop and implement a regional program for the safe handling of those other drugs collaboration between multiple sites of the winnipeg regional health authority and cancercare manitoba. Report any exposure direct and indirect contact skin puncture with hazardous medication to immediate supervisor. All hazardous drugs, regardless of the formula tion, should be labeled as such to prevent improper handling. Youll find new chapters on postadministration issues, linen handling, disposal of hazardous drugs and hazardous drug waste, and the hazardous drug handling policy landscape. Usp hazardous drugs risk readiness checklist 7 responsibilities of personnel handling hazardous drugs there must be a designated person who is qualified and trained to be responsible for.
Evidence for continued risk of occupational exposure is abundant. Comply with the procedures outlined below and with department or sitespecific procedures related to handling hazardous drugs. Safe handling of hazardous drugs duke safety office. Discuss concerns about pregnancy, breastfeeding or attempt to reproduce with your supervisor. To provide 2019 asco standards on the safe handling of hazardous. Newer recommendations for medical surveillance for the adverse effects of hazardous drugs are disucssed in a recent update. Updates shall be provided as new information becomes available or as new drugs are brought into. Controlling occupational exposure to hazardous drugs. Handling and spills of powdered or aerosolized hazardous drugs. The podcast provides information about the history and importance of safe handling of hazardous drugs in the workplace and how to effectively follow safety guidelines. Drugs considered hazardous include those that exhibit one or more of the following six characteristics in humans or animals. Recommendations for the safe handling of hazardous drugs have been available for more than twenty years. Safe handling of hazardous drugs is based on the recommendations of niosh, osha, ons, the american society of.
Safe handling of hazardous drugs for veterinary healthcare. When a drug is injected into a iv line, or the leakage at the tubing, syringe or the. Safe handling of hazardous drugs workbook 97815852898 and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. For chemotherapy and other hazardous drugs, employees must wear gloves tested for use with chemotherapy drugs in the appropriate size. New hazardous drug safe handling guidelines may require changes for your practice healthcare workers who prepare and administer hazardous drugs have further incentive to follow the recommended precautions with the february 1, 2016, release of.
Gloves are required during handling of hazardous drugs e. Development of a regional safe handling of hazardous drugs. Best practices for the safe handling of hazardous drugs. The majority of the reproductive risks as sociated with the drugs listed in table 3 apply to women, but some can apply to men only such as reduced fertility or sperm count or to both men and women. April 7, 2011, osha supported the tjcniosh monograph on employee and patient safety. This paper describes several administrative controls for the safe handling of hazardous drugs hd. Browse our collection of hazardous chemicals videos. Implementing safe handling practices of hazardous drugs. Usp hazardous drugs in healthcare settings describes in great detail the practice and quality standards for handling hds to promote patient safety, worker safety, and environmental protection. Other medications that have been acknowledged as potentially hazardous. Even new forms of cytotoxic drugs such as liposomal forms are much less toxic to handle and administer but much more expensive to purchase and cannot be simply substituted for the parent drug. Niosh list of antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs in.
Niosh has categorized hazardous drugs into three main groups. Purpose the purpose of these guidelines is to 1 update the reader on new and continuing concerns for health care workers handling hazardous drugs and 2 provide information on rec. The techniques and safe handling practices that have been implemented in the work area to protect employees from exposure to hds, such as identification of drugs that should be handled as hazardous, appropriate work practices, safety equipment, and ppe to be used, and emergency procedures for spills or employee exposure. All training must be documented by the individual presenting the training session, and a copy of the training records will be submitted to dohs. Development of a training program for handling hazardous drugs. Factors influencing nurses use of hazardous drug safe. Register selfassessment of safe handling practices for.