(1) Each health care facility covered under the scope of this chapter must conduct hazard assessments in order to determine the appropriate precautions to be taken. These assessments may be limited to the hazardous drugs for which there is reasonably anticipated occupational exposure.
(2) Assessments must include the following elements as appropriate:
(a) Personal protective equipment.
(b) Engineering controls (e.g., ventilated cabinets, closed-system drug transfer devices, glovebags, and needleless systems).
(c) Physical layout of work areas.
(d) Types of hazardous drugs being handled.
(e) Volume, frequency, packaging, and form of hazardous drugs handled (tablets, coated versus uncoated, powder versus liquid).
(f) Equipment maintenance.
(g) Decontamination and cleaning.
(h) Waste handling.
(i) Potential hazardous drug exposures during work operations, such as drug preparation and administration.
(j) Spill response.
(3) Conduct a hazard assessment as part of the hazardous drugs control program update and whenever changes that affect occupational exposure occur, such as introduction of a new hazardous drug or a change in handling practices.
Note: | The likelihood that a worker will experience adverse effects from exposure to hazardous drugs varies depending upon the relative toxicity and absorptive properties of a drug, the amount, duration and frequency of contact, and the lack of proper work precautions. |