Health-hazard evaluation report No. HETA 85-126-1932, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Technical Report · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6232618

Bryant, C J; Gorman, R; Stewart, J; Whong, W Z

In response to a request from a group of surgeons at the Bryn Mawr Hospital, located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, an evaluation was made of possible hazardous working conditions. The surgeons were concerned about emissions generated by electrocautery knives when performing reduction mammoplasty. Several operating room personnel were experiencing acute health effects during this procedure, which does produce a considerable amount of smoke. Symptoms included respiratory and eye irritation, headache, and nausea. Personal and area air samples were taken for hydrocarbons, nitrosamines, total particulates, benzene soluble fraction, and polynuclear aromatic compounds. Total particulate concentrations ranged from 0.4 to 2.0 mg/m3 in personal breathing zone samples and from 0.7 to 9.4 mg/m3 in area samples. During a brief demonstration of the laser cutting technique, a particulate sample was taken which measured 9.4 mg/m3, 7.4 mg/m3 of which was benzene soluble. The benzene soluble fraction exceeded the NIOSH REL and the OSHA PEL in seven of eleven samples collected. Trace amounts of hydrocarbons were identified. The major component of the samples appeared to be a compound or compounds related to fatty acid esters. Solvent extracts of airborne particles collected from the room using cauterization were mutagenic. The authors recommend that engineering ventilation controls be used, that any further acute or chronic health effects be evaluated and documented, and that exposure to electrocautery smoke be reevaluated.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6232618
• Report Number(s): PB-89-152334/XAB; HETA-85-126-1932
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
552000 -- Public Health
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDINGS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HOSPITALS
HYDROCARBONS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INSPECTION
MATERIALS
MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS
MEDICAL PERSONNEL
MEDICINE
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
RECOMMENDATIONS
RESIDUES
SMOKES
SOLS
TOXICITY
VENTILATION