NIOSH Publishes Initial Survey Results

February 25, 2014

Back in 2011, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) selected a random sample of AARC members to participate in a national survey on health and safety practices of health care workers.

AARC members were among the first to learn about results on exposure control practices associated with the administration of aerosolized medications during an AARC webcast delivered by NIOSH representative Jim Boiano, MS, CIH, last August, and now the first paper has been published in this month’s American Journal of Industrial Medicine.

The initial paper describes methods used to develop and implement the survey, along with results on training received by health care workers in the safe use of the chemicals and whether the employer had procedures in place for minimizing exposure.  

Key findings are available in this press release on the NIOSH website.

Other papers expected to be published this year include those on administration of antineoplastic drugs, compounding of antineoplastic drugs, high level disinfectants, and aerosolized medications. Papers on surgical smoke, anesthetic gases, and chemical sterilants are due out in 2015.