Health hazard evaluation report HETA 92-171-2255, Onondaga County Medical Examiner's Office, Syracuse, New York

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:6731148

Seitz, T A

In response to a request from the Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases (DBMD), National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, an evaluation of environmental conditions and procedures used to prevent tuberculosis transmission was carried out at the Medical Examiner's Office, Syracuse, New York. About 18 persons were employed at the Office, which conducted 600 to 700 autopsies per year. There was air mixing between the morgue and office areas. Ultraviolet radiation levels in the morgue were high due to the use of six ceiling mounted germicidal ultraviolet lamps providing direct irradiation of the area below. Louvers and baffles were not used on these lamps. Measurements taken indicated that the permissible exposure times for working under these lamps was less than 20 minutes for workers with unprotected skin and eyes. The author concludes that a potential hazard existed for workers exposed to aerosols from cadavers which had active tuberculosis at the time of death. The use of aerosol generating procedures presented a high risk situation. The author recommends specific measures to correct existing ventilation deficiencies, including isolation of the morgue ventilation system, use of personal protective equipment, safe use of germicidal ultraviolet lamps, and the provision of separate clean and dirty change areas for morgue personnel.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6731148
• Report Number(s): PB-93-136356/XAB; HETA-92-171-2255
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS
AIR POLLUTION
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
AEROSOLS
AUTOPSY
BACTERIAL DISEASES
BAFFLES
BUILDINGS
DEATH
EQUIPMENT
EVALUATION
EYES
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
IRRADIATION
MIXING
NEW YORK
PERSONNEL
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
SKIN
SURVEYS
TUBERCULOSIS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
US EPA
VENTILATION
ANIMALS
BODY
BODY AREAS
CLOTHING
COLLOIDS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FACE
FLOW REGULATORS
HEAD
MAMMALS
MAN
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RADIATIONS
SAFETY
SENSE ORGANS
SOLS
US ORGANIZATIONS
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VERTEBRATES
320107* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Building Systems- (1987-)
560400 - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects