EtO personnel monitoring devices: the state of the art.
Results from a single monitor worn by an employee become a part of his record of previous EtO exposure and a measure of the conditions in the central sterile supply area. It is obviously important that these results be accurate. Random errors in the results of analytical measurements are allowed for in the NIOSH criteria for overall accuracy of a technique. The sensitivity and accuracy of devices used to monitor TWA personnel exposure to EtO are only as good as the collection efficiency of the technique and the analytical instrumentation it utilizes. The active sampling charcoal absorption tube, impinger, and Tedlar bag methods are common air quality monitoring tools within the occupational health field. In the hands of experienced industrial hygienists and analytical chemists, these devices may be used with accurate EtO collection and analytical results. Passive sampling diffusion monitoring devices obtain the same results through simplicity of use and ease of providing analysis. However, the user must be careful to follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly if the results are to be accurate and meaningful. With these facts in mind, and in light of recent studies showing continued improvements in the technique's precision, it is likely that most hospitals will turn to the diffusion monitor methods as their primary means of documenting compliance with the new OSHA monitoring standard.
D005027:Ethylene Oxide / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D011482:Protective Devices; D014481:United States; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration