Healthcare Workers Safety and Health

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 – 04/02/08 [PDF – 3,707 KB]

Draft Management Questionnaire – 3/1/08 [PDF – 8,4207 KB]

Letter and list of invitees to public meeting – 3/17/08 [PDF – 1,2407 KB]

Healthcare workers’ safety and health – Worker Core Module – 3/1/08 [PDF – 4.590 KB]

Module A: Aerosolized Medications (Respiratory Therapists) – 3/1/08 [PDF – 2,300 KB]

Module B: Antineoplastic Agents (Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians) – 3/1/08 [PDF – 2,090 KB]

Module C: Antineoplastic Agents (Oncology Nurses) – 3/1/08 [PDF – 1,650 KB]

Module D: Chemical Sterilants – 3/1/08 [PDF – 1,6207 KB]

Module E: High Level Disinfectants – 3/1/08 [PDF – 1,550 KB]

Module F: Surgical Smoke (from Lasers or Electrosurgery Devices) – 3/1/08 [PDF – 1,500 KB]

Module G: Anesthetic Gases (Administration) – 3/1/08 [PDF – 1,170 KB]

Module H: Anesthetic Gases (Bystanders who do NOT Administer) – 3/1/08 [PDF – 1,020 KB]

Module I: Waste Anesthetic Gases (Post anesthesia Care and Surgical Recovery) – 3/1/08 [PDF – 603 KB]

Module J: Housekeeping or Environmental Services Staff – 3/1/08 [PDF – 1,330 KB]

Meeting Information

Meeting Agenda [PDF – 120 KB]

Presentation by J. Boiano (NIOSH) [PDF – 2,510 KB]

List of meeting attendees [PDF – 495 KB]

Targeted hazards and occupations by module (TABLE) [PDF – 238 KB]

Submissions in order of receipt

Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from Katz (American Society of Anesthesiologists) – 3/3/08 [PDF – 385 KB]

Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from Swinker (American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine) – 5/2/08 [PDF – 193 KB]

Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from Berry (American Society of Anesthesiologists) – 5/3/08 [PDF – 252 KB]

Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from Branson (American Association for Respiratory Care) – 5/5/08 [PDF – 190 KB]

Submission to the docket from Varner (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – 5/7/08 [PDF – 220 KB]

Submission to Boiano (NIOSH) from May (Association of Surgical Technologists) – 5/6/08 [PDF – 779 KB]

Submission to the docket from Byrns (Illinois State University) – 5/7/08 [PDF – 171 KB]

Submission to the docket from Kent (Empire Health Services) – 5/7/08 [PDF – 135 KB]

Submission to the docket from Cunha (Marshfield Clinic) – 5/7/08 [PDF – 174 KB]

Submission to the docket from McNeely (Harvard School of Public Health) – 5/7/08 [PDF – 231 KB]

Submission to the docket from Pajot (Ontario Safety Assn. for Community and Healthcare – 5/7/08 [PDF – 226 KB]

Submission to the docket from Dunn (Dornoch Medical Systems, Inc.) – 5/13/08 [PDF – 215 KB]

Submission to the docket from McKinney (Montgomery County HHS) – 5/14/08 [PDF – 328 KB]

Submission to the docket from Private person – 6/13/08 [PDF – 132 KB]

Submission to the docket from McNally (United Health Services Hospitals) – 6/13/08 [PDF – 252 KB]

Submission to the docket from Coughlin (Kenmore Mercy Hospital) – 6/13/08 [PDF – 217 KB]

Submission to the docket from Katz/Berry (American Society of Anesthesiologists) – 6/16/08 [PDF – 1,170 KB]

Submission to the docket from Prickett (Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healhtcare) – 6/18/08 [PDF – 600 KB]

Submission to the docket from Anderson (Kindred Healthcare) – 6/19/08 [PDF – 136 KB]

Submission to the docket from Private person – 6/19/08 [PDF – 173 KB]

Submission to the docket from Warburton (ChemDAQ Inc.) – 6/24/08 [PDF – 989 KB]

Submission to the docket from Coffey (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) – 6/25/08 [PDF – 1,560 KB]

Submission to the docket from Pollack (American Hospital Association) – 6/26/08 [PDF – 4,070 KB]

Submission to the docket from Cox (American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc.) – 6/26/08 [PDF – 423 KB]

Submission to the docket from Becker (Tennessee Hospital Association) – 6/27/08 [PDF – 1,070 KB]

Submission to the docket from Temkin (American Health Care Association) – 6/27/08 [PDF – 1,020 KB]

Submission to the docket from Speidell (Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association) – 6/27/08 [PDF – 1,040 KB]

Submission to the docket from Sweeney (Healthcare Association of New York State) – 6/27/08 [PDF – 1,180 KB]

Submission to the docket from Blanchard-Saiger (California Hospital Association) – 6/30/08 [PDF – 567 KB]

Submission to the docket from Smith (Delaware Healthcare Association) – 6/30/08 [PDF – 3,160 KB]

Submission to the docket from Reuter-Rice (National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners) – 6/30/08 [PDF – 166 KB]

Submission to the docket from Liddell (Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis) – 6/30/08 [PDF – 159 KB]

Submission to the docket from Thiemann (American Association of Nurse Anesthetists) – 6/30/08 [PDF – 959 KB]

Submission to the docket from Ristic (American Dental Association) – 6/30/08 [PDF – 349 KB]

Submission to the docket from Landon (Missouri Hospital Association) – 6/30/08 [PDF – 504 KB]

Submission to the docket from Mallory (Oncology Nursing Society) – 7/1/08 [PDF – 540 KB]

Submission to the docket from Raske (Greater New York Hospital Association) – 7/1/08 [PDF – 1,010 KB]

Submission to the docket from Leighton (Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania) – 7/1/08 [PDF – 4,840 KB]

Submission to the docket from Cain (Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology) – 7/1/08 [PDF – 498 KB]

Submission to the docket from Scholtz (Ohio Hospital Association) – 7/1/08 [PDF – 4,540 KB]

Submission to the docket from Holmes (New Jersey Hospital Association) – 7/1/08 [PDF – 322 KB]

Post-Meeting Information

Responses to comments received – 10/03/08 [PDF – 21,070 KB]