Operating Room Hazards

Websites

Anesthetic Gases

Anesthetic hazards and safe work practices in the operating room.

AORN - Welcome to Workplace Safety   

An excellent site with weblinks, AORN documents, and lists of articles on biological, ergonomic, chemical and other operating room hazards.

Hazardous Materials Emergencies in Surgery

Dealing with hazardous materials in the operating room.

Healthcare Wide Hazards Module

Training on hazards and solutions to healthcare hazard issues.

International Hazard Datasheets on Occupation - Nurse, Operating Room -

International Labor Organization information on occupational hazards for operating room nurses.

Laser/Electrosurgery Plume

Information on the problem of 'surgical smoke', methods of controlling it, and information of labor safety standards.

Laser Safety and the Eye

Discussed the dangers lasers pose to the eyes and eye protection.

OSHA Technical Manual - Hospital Investigations - Health Hazards 

Information on common hospital hazards, and the steps that should be taken to prevent injury.

Occupational Health for Healthcare Providers

Check here for the latest news about occupational hazards, information on prevention and screening, and organizations interested in the topic.

Safety from Fires and Explosions in Hospital Operating Rooms  

A Canadian government report on operating room hazards.

Surgical Smoke

A whitepaper on the dangers of surgical smoke and ways to avoid injury or infection. This is a PDF file.

Technological Advances in Lighting and Booms for the OR: Impact on Infection Control and OR Efficiency

A look at a new technology affecting safety in the operating room.

This is a sampling of websites dealing with occupational hazards in operating rooms.  For more, go to Google and type in a description of your chosen hazard (for example, 'surgical smoke').

Journal Articles

Control of smoke from Laser/electric surgical procedures. (1999). Applied Occupational & Environmental Hygiene, 15, 2, 71.

Gilmore, G.K. (2001). IC advances decrease patient and staff risk. Nursing Management, 31, 12, 54-47.

Huynyh, N.T. & Commens, C.A. (2002). Scrubbing for cutaneous procedures can be hazardous. Australasian Journal of Dermatology, 43, 2, 102-105.

Love, H. ( 2003). Noise exposure in the orthopaedic operating theatre: A significant health hazard. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 73, 10, 836+.

This is a sampling of articles dealing with occupational hazards in operating rooms.  For more, go to the RTC library home page, choose Online Databases, choose EbscoHost, choose Health Source Nursing/Academic edition, and type in a description of your chosen hazard.

Last updated: 10/1/07