HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS IN THE NURSING CARE – REASONS TO STOP FUMIGATION IN HEALTH CARE ?
Question to Post graduate education in Nursing European union There was much communications and knowledge spread on the Universal precautions to prevent infections from HIV / HBV/ HCV in the past 2 decades after the onset of AIDS pandemic, it paid the good results, There is growing concern on the excessive use of chemical disinfectants in the health care areas can be of risk to human life and Nurses are at greater risk than anyone who continuously present in the health care environments The bad news is that if you work in healthcare, you are exposed to hazardous chemicals, Among the hazardous chemicals still used widely in hospitals are cleaning products, disinfectants, sterilant, and floor care products that contain toxic active ingredients, such as ammonia, chlorine, phosphates, alkylphenol ethoxylates, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, phenolic compounds, propellants, and petroleum solvents. In specific areas of the hospital, workers can be exposed to glutaraldehyde, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, para formaldehyde, methyl methacrylate, Freon, peracetic acid, or waste anesthetic gases. Pesticides, rodenticides, and fungicides are also used in hospitals. Unfortunately, many chemicals which are banned in developed countries are dumped with commercial interests, in developing countries, today much of our hospitals use chemical disinfectants not caring much of cleanliness and hygiene
FORMALDEHYDE - Formaldehyde inactivates microorganisms by alkylating the amino acid and sulfhydryl groups of proteins and ring nitrogen atoms of purine bases.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA indicated Formaldehyde as potential carcinogen and limits an 8-hour time- weighted average exposure concentration of 0.75ppm. Still many hospitals use the fumigation as a habit without much scientific discussion of hazards It is surprising that many people are unaware of the longstanding scientific evidence on the carcinogenicity of formaldehyde. However, this had been detailed in five National Toxicology Program Reports on Carcinogens from 1981 to 2004. These classified formaldehyde as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,” based on limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, and sufficient evidence in experimental animals. This evidence was confirmed in a series of reports by the prestigious International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Its 2006 and 2010 reports explicitly warn that formaldehyde is “a known cause of leukemia in experimental animals — and nasal cancer” in humans.“Strong” evidence of the nasal cancer risk was also cited in the May 2010 President’s Cancer Panel report, “Environmental Cancer Risk: What Can We Do Now?” Nevertheless, and despite this explicit evidence, a September 2010 Government Accountability Office report attempted to trivialize the cancer risks of formaldehyde on the alleged grounds that exposure levels are low or “non-detectable.”
Fumigation is obsolete in many developed nations in view of toxic nature of Formalin. Too frequent use and inhalation is hazardous. Several new safe chemicals are emerging but constrains of economy limit the use and several hours of closure of operation theaters can be curtailed as with Fumigation. Aldehydes are potentially carcinogenic and it is therefore recommended that other agents such as hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide with silver nitrate, peracitic acid and other chemical compounds of formaldehyde should be used in place of the currently prevalent practice of using formaldehyde,
Many developing counties to regulate the hazardous chemicals with mandatory laws and needs more research and documentation of health hazards on the health caring staff. Reference- Unrecognized Dangers of Formaldehyde Samuel S. Epstein Cancer prevention expert, Prof. emeritus at U. of IL School of Public Health, Chicago
Answered by Dr.T V.Rao MD for online resources
Question to Post graduate education in Nursing European union There was much communications and knowledge spread on the Universal precautions to prevent infections from HIV / HBV/ HCV in the past 2 decades after the onset of AIDS pandemic, it paid the good results, There is growing concern on the excessive use of chemical disinfectants in the health care areas can be of risk to human life and Nurses are at greater risk than anyone who continuously present in the health care environments The bad news is that if you work in healthcare, you are exposed to hazardous chemicals, Among the hazardous chemicals still used widely in hospitals are cleaning products, disinfectants, sterilant, and floor care products that contain toxic active ingredients, such as ammonia, chlorine, phosphates, alkylphenol ethoxylates, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, phenolic compounds, propellants, and petroleum solvents. In specific areas of the hospital, workers can be exposed to glutaraldehyde, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, para formaldehyde, methyl methacrylate, Freon, peracetic acid, or waste anesthetic gases. Pesticides, rodenticides, and fungicides are also used in hospitals. Unfortunately, many chemicals which are banned in developed countries are dumped with commercial interests, in developing countries, today much of our hospitals use chemical disinfectants not caring much of cleanliness and hygiene
FORMALDEHYDE - Formaldehyde inactivates microorganisms by alkylating the amino acid and sulfhydryl groups of proteins and ring nitrogen atoms of purine bases.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA indicated Formaldehyde as potential carcinogen and limits an 8-hour time- weighted average exposure concentration of 0.75ppm. Still many hospitals use the fumigation as a habit without much scientific discussion of hazards It is surprising that many people are unaware of the longstanding scientific evidence on the carcinogenicity of formaldehyde. However, this had been detailed in five National Toxicology Program Reports on Carcinogens from 1981 to 2004. These classified formaldehyde as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,” based on limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, and sufficient evidence in experimental animals. This evidence was confirmed in a series of reports by the prestigious International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Its 2006 and 2010 reports explicitly warn that formaldehyde is “a known cause of leukemia in experimental animals — and nasal cancer” in humans.“Strong” evidence of the nasal cancer risk was also cited in the May 2010 President’s Cancer Panel report, “Environmental Cancer Risk: What Can We Do Now?” Nevertheless, and despite this explicit evidence, a September 2010 Government Accountability Office report attempted to trivialize the cancer risks of formaldehyde on the alleged grounds that exposure levels are low or “non-detectable.”
Fumigation is obsolete in many developed nations in view of toxic nature of Formalin. Too frequent use and inhalation is hazardous. Several new safe chemicals are emerging but constrains of economy limit the use and several hours of closure of operation theaters can be curtailed as with Fumigation. Aldehydes are potentially carcinogenic and it is therefore recommended that other agents such as hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide with silver nitrate, peracitic acid and other chemical compounds of formaldehyde should be used in place of the currently prevalent practice of using formaldehyde,
Many developing counties to regulate the hazardous chemicals with mandatory laws and needs more research and documentation of health hazards on the health caring staff. Reference- Unrecognized Dangers of Formaldehyde Samuel S. Epstein Cancer prevention expert, Prof. emeritus at U. of IL School of Public Health, Chicago
Answered by Dr.T V.Rao MD for online resources
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