Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-98-0027-2709, Stericycle, Inc., Morton, Washington.
Authors
Weber-AM; Boudreau-Y; Mortimer-VD
Source
Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HETA 98-0027-2709, 1998 Oct; :1-44
Abstract
At the request of Washington State's Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) and Department of Health (DOH), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) evaluated the potential for occupational exposures to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and bloodborne pathogens from the processing of medical waste. Events leading to the request for technical assistance included an outbreak of suspected occupationally-related tuberculosis (TB) among employees at Stericycle, Inc. in Morton, Washington. An initial site visit was conducted November 18-20, 1997, and a subsequent evaluation of the facility was performed January 26-29, 1998. The information contained in this report reflects conditions at the facility at the time of these evaluations. An interim report, including initial recommendations, was distributed on March 13, 1998.
Keywords
Health-hazard; Occupational-safety-and-health; Medical-wastes; Exposures; Bacteria; Pathogens; Site-visits; Recommendations; Medical-evaluations; Tuberculosis; Hazard-Confirmed; Region-10;
Author Keywords: Tuberculosis; TB; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; medical waste; medical waste treatment; infectious waste
Document Type
Field Studies; Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance
NTIS Accession No.
PB99-145609
Identifying No.
HETA-98-0027-2709
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
