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The awareness of healthcare workers about hazardous substances used in a tertiary hospital

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 341 - 349, 04.03.2019
https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.383355

Abstract

Objectives: Potentially hazardous materials are commonly used during health practices in
the hospital environments. Management of hazardous substances is of great
importance. Inadequate training of personnel for use and disposal of hazardous
materials were reported by some studies. The aim of present study was to create
awareness among healthcare workers for hazardous substances.

Methods: A survey was carried out on 204 healthcare workers (125 females and 79 males;
mean age: 33.8 ± 12.9 years) to measure their level of knowledge about
hazardous substances used in hospitals.

Results: Hospital departments were
investigated and it was found that listing of dangerous substances were
missing, their locations were not fixed, and they were not stored in isolated
areas. Sixty percent of the participants considered themselves not having
enough knowledge about hazardous materials. Ninety percent of the respondents
thought that warning signs and symbols placed on hazardous material storage
cabinets are useful. It was determined that warning signs for flammable,
hazardous for environment, corrosive and explosive were significantly less
known compared to symbols (p = 0.037,
p = 0.018, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001,
respectively).

Conclusions: It was concluded that healthcare workers did not
have sufficient information about hazardous substances. Healthcare workers
should be trained effectively on hazardous substances issue. 

References

  • [1] Manuel M, Daphnie L, D’cunha S, Suresh S. A study to assess the awareness regarding occupational health hazards among the employees in the laundry department of a selected hospital. Muller J Med Sci Res 2015;6:40-4.
  • [2] Costa TF, Felli VE. Nursing workers' exposure to chemical products at a public universitary hospital in Sao Paulo city. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem 2005;13:501-8.
  • [3] Garcia V, Briz Lopez, Clerigues V, Andres Poveda. Hazardous drugs: new challenges, new opportunities. Farm Hosp 2016;40:124-7.
  • [4] Terekli G, Özkan O, Bayın G. Çevre dostu hastaneler: Hastaneden yeşil hastaneye. Ankara Sağlık Hizmetleri Dergisi 2013;12:37-54.
  • [5] Takigawa T, Endo Y. Effects of glutaraldehyde exposure on human health. J Occup Health 2006;48:75-87.
  • [6] Hasei M, Hirata T, Nishihara H, Tanigami H, Takashina M, Mori T. Occupational exposure of operating room staff to anesthetic gases during inhaled induction a comparison with intravenous anesthesia induction. Masui 2003;52:394-8.
  • [7] Dranitsaris G, Johnston M, Poirier S, Schueller T, Milliken D, Green E, et al. Are healthcare providers who work with cancer drugs at an increased risk for toxic events? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. J Oncol Pharm Pract 2005;11:69-78.
  • [8] Conner TH, Mc Diarmid MA. Preventing occupational exposures to antineoplastic drugs in healthcare settings. CA Cancer J Clin 2006;56:354-65.
  • [9] Yoshida J, Kosaka K, Tomioka K, Kumagai S. Genotoxic risks to nurses from contamination of the work environment with neoplastic drugs in Japan. J Occup Health 2006:48;512-22.
  • [10] Triolo PK. Occupational health hazards of hospital staff nurses. Part II: Physical, chemical, and biological stressors. AAOHN J 1989;37:274-9.
  • [11] Smith EM, Miller ER, Woolson RF, Brown CK. Bladder cancer risk among laundry workers, dry cleaners, andothers in chemically related occupations. J Occup Med 1985;27:295-7.
  • [12] Lugah V, Ganesh B, Darus A, Retneswari M, Rosnawati MR, Sujatha D. Training of occupational safety and health: knowledge among healthcare professionals in Malaysia. Singapore Med J 2010;51:586-92.
  • [13] Roberts GL. Shades of green: the evolution of hospital sustainable design standards. Health Facil Manage 2011;24:45-50.
  • [14] Senthil A, Anandh B, Jayachandran P, Thangavel G, Josephin D, Yamini R, et al. Perception and prevalence of work-related health hazards among healthcare workers in public health facilities in southern India. Int J Occup Environ Health 2015;21:74-81.
  • [15] El-Sallamy RM, Kabbash IA, El-Fatah SA, El-Feky A. Physical hazard safety awareness among healthcare workers in Tanta university hospitals, Egypt. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2017 May 17. doi: 10.1007/s11356-017-9110-6. [Ahead of print]
  • [16] Elsayed DMS, Mekhmier HA. Awareness of electricity workers regarding occupational health hazards: preventive study. Am J Nurs Res 2017;5:219-25.
  • [17] Callahan A, Ames NJ, Manning ML, Touchton-Leonard K, Yang L, Wallen R. Factors influencing nurses' use of hazardous drug safe-handling precautions. Oncol Nurs Forum 2016;43:342-9.
  • [18] Gaspar Carreno M, Achau Munoz R, Torrico Martin F, Agun Gonzalez JJ, Sanchez Santos JC, Cercos Lleti AC, et al. Safe procedure development to manage hazardous drugs in the workplace. Farm Hosp 2017;41:222-56.
Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 341 - 349, 04.03.2019
https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.383355

Abstract

References

  • [1] Manuel M, Daphnie L, D’cunha S, Suresh S. A study to assess the awareness regarding occupational health hazards among the employees in the laundry department of a selected hospital. Muller J Med Sci Res 2015;6:40-4.
  • [2] Costa TF, Felli VE. Nursing workers' exposure to chemical products at a public universitary hospital in Sao Paulo city. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem 2005;13:501-8.
  • [3] Garcia V, Briz Lopez, Clerigues V, Andres Poveda. Hazardous drugs: new challenges, new opportunities. Farm Hosp 2016;40:124-7.
  • [4] Terekli G, Özkan O, Bayın G. Çevre dostu hastaneler: Hastaneden yeşil hastaneye. Ankara Sağlık Hizmetleri Dergisi 2013;12:37-54.
  • [5] Takigawa T, Endo Y. Effects of glutaraldehyde exposure on human health. J Occup Health 2006;48:75-87.
  • [6] Hasei M, Hirata T, Nishihara H, Tanigami H, Takashina M, Mori T. Occupational exposure of operating room staff to anesthetic gases during inhaled induction a comparison with intravenous anesthesia induction. Masui 2003;52:394-8.
  • [7] Dranitsaris G, Johnston M, Poirier S, Schueller T, Milliken D, Green E, et al. Are healthcare providers who work with cancer drugs at an increased risk for toxic events? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. J Oncol Pharm Pract 2005;11:69-78.
  • [8] Conner TH, Mc Diarmid MA. Preventing occupational exposures to antineoplastic drugs in healthcare settings. CA Cancer J Clin 2006;56:354-65.
  • [9] Yoshida J, Kosaka K, Tomioka K, Kumagai S. Genotoxic risks to nurses from contamination of the work environment with neoplastic drugs in Japan. J Occup Health 2006:48;512-22.
  • [10] Triolo PK. Occupational health hazards of hospital staff nurses. Part II: Physical, chemical, and biological stressors. AAOHN J 1989;37:274-9.
  • [11] Smith EM, Miller ER, Woolson RF, Brown CK. Bladder cancer risk among laundry workers, dry cleaners, andothers in chemically related occupations. J Occup Med 1985;27:295-7.
  • [12] Lugah V, Ganesh B, Darus A, Retneswari M, Rosnawati MR, Sujatha D. Training of occupational safety and health: knowledge among healthcare professionals in Malaysia. Singapore Med J 2010;51:586-92.
  • [13] Roberts GL. Shades of green: the evolution of hospital sustainable design standards. Health Facil Manage 2011;24:45-50.
  • [14] Senthil A, Anandh B, Jayachandran P, Thangavel G, Josephin D, Yamini R, et al. Perception and prevalence of work-related health hazards among healthcare workers in public health facilities in southern India. Int J Occup Environ Health 2015;21:74-81.
  • [15] El-Sallamy RM, Kabbash IA, El-Fatah SA, El-Feky A. Physical hazard safety awareness among healthcare workers in Tanta university hospitals, Egypt. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2017 May 17. doi: 10.1007/s11356-017-9110-6. [Ahead of print]
  • [16] Elsayed DMS, Mekhmier HA. Awareness of electricity workers regarding occupational health hazards: preventive study. Am J Nurs Res 2017;5:219-25.
  • [17] Callahan A, Ames NJ, Manning ML, Touchton-Leonard K, Yang L, Wallen R. Factors influencing nurses' use of hazardous drug safe-handling precautions. Oncol Nurs Forum 2016;43:342-9.
  • [18] Gaspar Carreno M, Achau Munoz R, Torrico Martin F, Agun Gonzalez JJ, Sanchez Santos JC, Cercos Lleti AC, et al. Safe procedure development to manage hazardous drugs in the workplace. Farm Hosp 2017;41:222-56.
There are 18 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Health Care Administration
Journal Section Original Articles
Authors

Serdar Savaş Gül 0000-0002-4449-5565

Mehmet Esen 0000-0003-2180-6946

Publication Date March 4, 2019
Submission Date January 24, 2018
Acceptance Date March 12, 2018
Published in Issue Year 2019 Volume: 5 Issue: 2

Cite

AMA Gül SS, Esen M. The awareness of healthcare workers about hazardous substances used in a tertiary hospital. Eur Res J. March 2019;5(2):341-349. doi:10.18621/eurj.383355

e-ISSN: 2149-3189 


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