In spite of current recommended safe handling procedures, the potential for the exposure of healthcare providers to hazardous drugs exists in the workplace. A reliance on biological safety cabinets to provide total protection against the exposure to hazardous drugs is insufficient. Preventing workplace contamination is the best strategy to minimize cytotoxic drug exposure in healthcare provider...

The aims of the present study were to clarify the work environment contamination by antineoplastic drugs in a hospital ward and to assess the genotoxic risks to nurses who routinely handle antineoplastic drugs in Japan. The exposed group consisted of 19 female nurses who routinely handled antineoplastic drugs. The control group consisted of 18 female nurses who did not handle antineoplastic dru...

BACKGROUND Organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) are becoming popular replacements for the phased-out polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) mixtures, and they are now commonly detected in indoor environments. However, little is known about human exposure to PFRs because they cannot be easily measured in blood or serum. OBJECTIVES To investigate relationships between the home environment and ...

STUDY OBJECTIVE We evaluate the frequency of emergency department (ED) ultrasonographic probe contamination and the bacterial species involved and evaluate probe cleaning and disinfection methods. METHODS This was a 3-part observational cross-sectional study. Surveillance cultures were taken of linear and curvilinear probes on 3 ultrasonographic machines between patient encounters. Cultures o...

BACKGROUND The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines for hand hygiene state that the use of alcohol-based hand wipes is not an effective substitute for the use of an alcohol-based hand rub or handwashing with an antimicrobial soap and water. The objective of this study was to determine whether a hand wipe with higher ethanol content (65.9%) is as effective as an ethanol hand r...

This article presents air and surface sampling data collected over the first two years since beryllium was introduced as a target material at the National Ignition Facility. Over this time, 101 experiments with beryllium-containing targets were executed. The data provides an assessment of current conditions in the facility and a baseline for future impacts as new, reduced regulatory limits for ...

The magnitude and distribution of cypermethrin from total release, over-the-counter foggers was studied in a test room and in residences to facilitate evaluation of regulatory exposure algorithms and new human exposure assessments based upon urine biomonitoring. Surface residue (SR) was evenly distributed in a small test room (3.6 mciro g cypermethrin/cm(2)) where thorough mixing of the aerosol...