Healthcare Workers Safety and Health
April 2008
NIOSH Docket Number 135
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health requested public comment on the content and conduct of two separate but related national surveys, one of healthcare workers’ safety and health practices and the other of employer safety and health practices. The goal of the healthcare worker survey is to collect information describing exposures, safety and health practices, and use of exposure controls for several targeted hazards including chemotherapeutic drugs, chemical sterilants, high level disinfectants, anesthetic gases, surgical smoke, aerosolized medications, and cleaning and disinfection agents. The goal of the management survey is to collect information describing facility-based health and safety resources, safety and health management programs, policies and practices for the same health and safety hazards covered in the worker survey.
In response to needs cited by stakeholders for hazard and exposure surveillance data in the healthcare industry, national surveys of healthcare workers and management are being planned as part of the NIOSH surveillance research program. The comments and information submitted to the docket will be considered in assessing appropriate methods of conducting the surveys and in refining draft survey questionnaires which are available below.
Pre-Meeting Information
73FR17983 – 04/02/08pdf icon [PDF – 3,707 KB]
Draft Management Questionnaire – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 8,4207 KB]
Letter and list of invitees to public meeting – 3/17/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,2407 KB]
Healthcare workers’ safety and health – Worker Core Module – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 4.590 KB]
Module A: Aerosolized Medications (Respiratory Therapists) – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 2,300 KB]
Module B: Antineoplastic Agents (Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians) – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 2,090 KB]
Module C: Antineoplastic Agents (Oncology Nurses) – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,650 KB]
Module D: Chemical Sterilants – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,6207 KB]
Module E: High Level Disinfectants – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,550 KB]
Module F: Surgical Smoke (from Lasers or Electrosurgery Devices) – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,500 KB]
Module G: Anesthetic Gases (Administration) – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,170 KB]
Module H: Anesthetic Gases (Bystanders who do NOT Administer) – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,020 KB]
Module I: Waste Anesthetic Gases (Post anesthesia Care and Surgical Recovery) – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 603 KB]
Module J: Housekeeping or Environmental Services Staff – 3/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,330 KB]
Meeting Information
Meeting Agendapdf icon [PDF – 120 KB]
Presentation by J. Boiano (NIOSH)pdf icon [PDF – 2,510 KB]
List of meeting attendeespdf icon [PDF – 495 KB]
Targeted hazards and occupations by module (TABLE)pdf icon [PDF – 238 KB]
Submissions in order of receipt
Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from Katz (American Society of Anesthesiologists) – 3/3/08pdf icon [PDF – 385 KB]
Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from Swinker (American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine) – 5/2/08pdf icon [PDF – 193 KB]
Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from Berry (American Society of Anesthesiologists) – 5/3/08pdf icon [PDF – 252 KB]
Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from Branson (American Association for Respiratory Care) – 5/5/08pdf icon [PDF – 190 KB]
Submission to the docket from Varner (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – 5/7/08pdf icon [PDF – 220 KB]
Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from May (Association of Surgical Technologists) – 5/6/08pdf icon [PDF – 779 KB]
Submission to the docket from Byrns (Illinois State University) – 5/7/08pdf icon [PDF – 171 KB]
Submission to the docket from Kent (Empire Health Services) – 5/7/08pdf icon [PDF – 135 KB]
Submission to the docket from Cunha (Marshfield Clinic) – 5/7/08pdf icon [PDF – 174 KB]
Submission to the docket from McNeely (Harvard School of Public Health) – 5/7/08pdf icon [PDF – 231 KB]
Submission to the docket from Pajot (Ontario Safety Assn. for Community and Healthcare – 5/7/08pdf icon [PDF – 226 KB]
Submission to the docket from Dunn (Dornoch Medical Systems, Inc.) – 5/13/08pdf icon [PDF – 215 KB]
Submission to the docket from McKinney (Montgomery County HHS) – 5/14/08pdf icon [PDF – 328 KB]
Submission to the docket from Private person – 6/13/08pdf icon [PDF – 132 KB]
Submission to the docket from McNally (United Health Services Hospitals) – 6/13/08pdf icon [PDF – 252 KB]
Submission to the docket from Coughlin (Kenmore Mercy Hospital) – 6/13/08pdf icon [PDF – 217 KB]
Submission to the docket from Katz/Berry (American Society of Anesthesiologists) – 6/16/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,170 KB]
Submission to the docket from Prickett (Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healhtcare) – 6/18/08pdf icon [PDF – 600 KB]
Submission to the docket from Anderson (Kindred Healthcare) – 6/19/08pdf icon [PDF – 136 KB]
Submission to the docket from Private person – 6/19/08pdf icon [PDF – 173 KB]
Submission to the docket from Warburton (ChemDAQ Inc.) – 6/24/08pdf icon [PDF – 989 KB]
Submission to the docket from Coffey (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) – 6/25/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,560 KB]
Submission to the docket from Pollack (American Hospital Association) – 6/26/08pdf icon [PDF – 4,070 KB]
Submission to the docket from Cox (American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc.) – 6/26/08pdf icon [PDF – 423 KB]
Submission to the docket from Becker (Tennessee Hospital Association) – 6/27/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,070 KB]
Submission to the docket from Temkin (American Health Care Association) – 6/27/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,020 KB]
Submission to the docket from Speidell (Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association) – 6/27/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,040 KB]
Submission to the docket from Sweeney (Healthcare Association of New York State) – 6/27/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,180 KB]
Submission to the docket from Blanchard-Saiger (California Hospital Association) – 6/30/08pdf icon [PDF – 567 KB]
Submission to the docket from Smith (Delaware Healthcare Association) – 6/30/08pdf icon [PDF – 3,160 KB]
Submission to the docket from Reuter-Rice (National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners) – 6/30/08pdf icon [PDF – 166 KB]
Submission to the docket from Liddell (Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis) – 6/30/08pdf icon [PDF – 159 KB]
Submission to the docket from Thiemann (American Association of Nurse Anesthetists) – 6/30/08pdf icon [PDF – 959 KB]
Submission to the docket from Ristic (American Dental Association) – 6/30/08pdf icon [PDF – 349 KB]
Submission to the docket from Landon (Missouri Hospital Association) – 6/30/08pdf icon [PDF – 504 KB]
Submission to the docket from Mallory (Oncology Nursing Society) – 7/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 540 KB]
Submission to the docket from Raske (Greater New York Hospital Association) – 7/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 1,010 KB]
Submission to the docket from Leighton (Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania) – 7/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 4,840 KB]
Submission to the docket from Cain (Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology) – 7/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 498 KB]
Submission to the docket from Scholtz (Ohio Hospital Association) – 7/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 4,540 KB]
Submission to the docket from Holmes (New Jersey Hospital Association) – 7/1/08pdf icon [PDF – 322 KB]
Post-Meeting Information
Responses to comments received – 10/03/08pdf icon [PDF – 21,070 KB]