This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Glumbakaite, E. Articles by Jurkuvenas, V. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Quality of the Air and Health Assessment of the Medical Staff Handling Disinfection Chemicals in Lithuanian Hospitals

Edita Glumbakait

Institute of Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Lithuania

Zita ymantien

Institute of Hygiene, Occupational Medicine Centre, Lithuania

Viktoras ekauskas

Institute of Hygiene, Occupational Medicine Centre, Lithuania

Graina Smolianskien

Institute of Hygiene, Occupational Medicine Centre, Lithuania

Vytautas Jurkuvnas

School of Public Health, University of Alabama, at Birmingham, USA

The use of chemical disinfectants where ventilation is insufficient can produce morbidity and allergic responses. Although disinfection is the universal tool for prevention of infections, the chemicals used can irritate the eyes and skin and may have neurotoxic and sensitising effects. The objective in the present study was to evaluate such chemical hazards, the use of personal protective equipment and the health status of those who handle disinfection chemicals in Lithuanian hospitals. Nine hospitals in Vilnius were studied in 2000-2001. Some 334 hospital employees from surgery, anaesthesiology, intensive care unit, resuscitation, nursing and endoscopy departments in contact with disinfecting chemicals were interviewed by questionnaire.

Levels of several chemicals were monitored: glutaraldehyde, chlorine compounds and hydrogen peroxide were determined by a photometric method; isopropyl and ethyl alcohols were determined by gas chromatography. It was found that maximum levels of glutaraldehyde exceeded standards by 1.3 times, hydrogen peroxide by 8 times and isopropyl alcohol by 11 times. When working with the chemicals rubber latex gloves were used by 84.1% of personnel and protective face masks by 45.9%. Other personal protective equipment (goggles and respirators) were rarely used. Adverse reactíons included skin reddening and itching (57.6%; p<0.05), allergic conjunctivitis (39.5%), allergic rhinitis (36.0%), as well as frank diseases like chronic bronchitis (9.9%), allergic contact dermatitis (8.3%), allergic rhinitis (7.0%) and allergic conjunctivitis (6.4%). The study concluded that improvements were necessary in all aspects of work with chemical disinfectants containing these active components.

Key Words: Disinfectants • Protective equipment • Glutaraldehyde • Chlorine • Hydrogen peroxide • Isopropyl alcohol • Ethyl alcohol

Indoor and Built Environment, Vol. 12, No. 1-2, 105-111 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/1420326X03012001017


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?