title: OSHA work-practice guidelines for personnel dealing with cytotoxic (antineoplastic) drugs. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
abstract: Work-practice guidelines for personnel dealing with cytotoxic drugs (CDs) are presented. Current practices in the preparation, storage, administration, and disposal of CDs may expose pharmacists, nurses, physicians, and other health-care workers to high environmental levels of these drugs. OSHA has developed these guidelines to protect health-care workers from unnecessary exposure to CDs. A brief summary of the short-term and long-term hazards known to be associated with these drugs is presented. The risks to workers handling CDs are a combined result of the drugs' inherent toxicity and the extent to which workers are directly exposed to CDs via inhalation, absorption, and ingestion. Work-practice guidelines that can limit the exposure of workers to CDs and the equipment necessary to carry out these practices properly are described.
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004339:Drug Compounding; D004356:Drug Storage; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents