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Details

Control Technology for Ethylene Oxide Sterilization in Hospitals.

PB90164807

Publication Date	1989
Personal Author	Mortimer, W. D.; Kercher, S. L.
Page Count	182
Abstract	The report examines control methods and systems for EtO sterilization in hospitals. Nine sterilizer control systems were evaluated in eight hospitals during week-long, in-depth surveys. Three emission sources typically account for most of the EtO routinely released into the work environment. First, most of the EtO gas mixture from the chamber is released to the indoor atmosphere at the air gap located at the connection of the drain to the outlet of the water sealed vacuum pump. Second, the opening of the sterilizer door at the completion of the cycle may result in a very short high exposure to the sterilizer operator followed by an increase in the workroom EtO concentration. Third, the load transfer procedure provides the closest contact with EtO for the sterilizer operator: pulling the load from the sterilizer, transporting the load to the aerator, and inserting the load into the aerator. EtO exposures from hospital sterilizers can be controlled to not exceed a ceiling limit of 5 ppm and to average less than 0.1 ppm for a full shift.
Keywords	Medical equipment Ethylene oxide Sterilization Hospitals Tables(Data) Graphs(Charts) Exposure Emission Ventilation Monitoring Toxicity Recommendations Control equipment Occupational exposure Dose-response relationships
Source Agency	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NTIS Subject Category	95C - Biomedical Instrumentation & Bioengineering 44G - Environmental & Occupational Factors 68A - Air Pollution & Control 57U - Public Health & Industrial Medicine
Corporate Authors	National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. Div. of Physical Sciences and Engineering.
Supplemental Notes	Errata sheet inserted.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	199009

Control Technology for Ethylene Oxide Sterilization in Hospitals.

Control Technology for Ethylene Oxide Sterilization in Hospitals.
PB90164807

Publication Date	1989
Personal Author	Mortimer, W. D.; Kercher, S. L.
Page Count	182
Abstract	The report examines control methods and systems for EtO sterilization in hospitals. Nine sterilizer control systems were evaluated in eight hospitals during week-long, in-depth surveys. Three emission sources typically account for most of the EtO routinely released into the work environment. First, most of the EtO gas mixture from the chamber is released to the indoor atmosphere at the air gap located at the connection of the drain to the outlet of the water sealed vacuum pump. Second, the opening of the sterilizer door at the completion of the cycle may result in a very short high exposure to the sterilizer operator followed by an increase in the workroom EtO concentration. Third, the load transfer procedure provides the closest contact with EtO for the sterilizer operator: pulling the load from the sterilizer, transporting the load to the aerator, and inserting the load into the aerator. EtO exposures from hospital sterilizers can be controlled to not exceed a ceiling limit of 5 ppm and to average less than 0.1 ppm for a full shift.
Keywords	Medical equipment Ethylene oxide Sterilization Hospitals Tables(Data) Graphs(Charts) Exposure Emission Ventilation Monitoring Toxicity Recommendations Control equipment Occupational exposure Dose-response relationships
Source Agency	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NTIS Subject Category	95C - Biomedical Instrumentation & Bioengineering 44G - Environmental & Occupational Factors 68A - Air Pollution & Control 57U - Public Health & Industrial Medicine
Corporate Authors	National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. Div. of Physical Sciences and Engineering.
Supplemental Notes	Errata sheet inserted.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	199009