title: Glutaraldehyde--controlling the risk to health.
abstract: The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulation 1988 (COSHH) is one of the most important pieces of health and safety legislation to affect the workplace since the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974. The regulations require that the exposure to all hazardous chemicals and micro-biological agents be reviewed and measures put in place to control the risk to health. An evaluation survey that reported in mid-1993 showed many workplaces had simply collected data sheets on hazardous agents but failed to carry out the all important next steps to evaluate the risks arising from the hazards, to monitor exposure and implement control measures to institute health surveillance where appropriate to inform and train employees. The lack of effective control of the exposure to glutaraldehyde in endoscope cleaning activity was highlighted, along with other deficiencies, in a recent inspection by the Health and Safety Executive of an NHS Trust in East Anglia. It is recognised that glutaraldehyde has posed particular problems in the operating theatre environment of the NHS.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menzies
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005976:Glutaral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health; D009873:Operating Rooms
chemical_list: D005976:Glutaral