Michael N. Tkaczuk

Glutaraldehyde Exposures and Symptoms among Endoscopy Nurses in South Australia

Abstract Dermal, respiratory, and other health problems have been associated with the use of glutaraldehyde as a high level disinfectant for endoscopy procedures in hospitals. Given the increasing concern about the safety of glutaraldehyde, a cross-sectional study of exposures among 135 endoscopy nurses in 26 South Australian hospitals was undertaken. Nurses were interviewed with a health/work practice questionnaire, worksite inspections were undertaken, and exposure measurements were conducted. A control group of 132 unexposed nurses in the same hospitals was also interviewed. Inhalational exposure while using glutaraldehyde was determined using Occupational Safety and Health Administration Method 64, and dermal exposure was assessed with skin pads secured to the forearm. Personal inhalational exposures were generally low [overall geometric mean (GM) = 0.032 ppm]. Operating theaters showed significantly lower airborne concentrations than areas dedicated to endoscopy. Both in operating theaters and in end...

Surface Contamination from Cytotoxic Chemotherapy Following Preparation and Administration

Surface contamination with cytotoxic drug residue is a potential occupational health hazard to staff working in cytotoxic compounding areas and oncology wards.

Occupational wood dust exposures, lifestyle variables, and respiratory symptoms.

The quantitative relationship of occupational exposure to airborne wood dust with nasal and pulmonary health problems is not clearly established, particularly for low to moderate exposures in the wooden furniture manufacturing industry. We examined the associations of pulmonary and nasal symptoms, wood dust exposure, and lifestyle variables (cigarette smoking, alcohol use, overweight, physical inactivity, and stress) in a sample of 168 woodworkers. Levels of wood dust exposure were not systematically associated with symptoms. Statistically significant associations were found for cigarette smoking; after controlling for the effects of smoking, heavy drinking was significantly associated with pulmonary symptoms, and perceived stress was associated with both pulmonary and nasal symptoms. These findings suggest that studies of the effects of low-level occupational wood dust exposures should control for the potential effects of lifestyle variables.

Paclitaxel Exposure and Its Effective Decontamination

Apart from generic guidelines for the safe handling of cytotoxic drugs in pharmacy departments, there is no specific published literature pertaining to cleaning procedures and inadvertent exposure to paclitaxel.

Organochlorine pesticide exposure and uptake following soil treatment of domestic premises

Twenty‐nine dwellings treated with aldrin, an organochlorine (OC) pesticide, in a standard manner for prevention of termite infestation, were repeatedly sampled over a two‐year period for airborne aldrin concentrations. Air sampling was carried out under standardized conditions in an unventilated room. Periodic measurements were also made of blood dieldrin levels of one occupant of each dwelling. In ten of the dwellings there was no detectable airborne aldrin prior to treatment. After treatment aldrin concentration varied from 0.08 to 51 μg m‐3. One week following treatment, six dwellings had levels above 10 μg m‐3; by six months only two dwellings were above this level. After one year, only one dwelling had an aldrin concentration above this level (27 μg m‐3) and the concentration in that dwelling was still nearly the same after two years. This dwelling was also sampled three years post‐treatment, by which time the concentration had declined to 12 μg m‐3. Statistical analysis of the blood dieldrin levels...