Eliminating Worker Exposure to Ethylene Oxide from Hospital Sterilizers: An Evaluation of Cost and Effectiveness of an Isolation System

Abstract This study illustrated that by using standard industrial hygiene methods, the goal of “zero worker exposure” without personal protective equipment (PPE) can be approached for most procedures involving ethylene oxide (EtO), and that the costs of these measures are not prohibitive. Air monitoring had been conducted in a large tertiary care hospital which showed that workers were exposed to high levels of EtO (up to 500 ppm for short periods). The purpose of this project was to develop a system for using EtO that would eliminate unnecessary uses, and reduce all worker exposure to levels as low as reasonably achievable without resorting to PPE and without requiring large incremental expenditures. All areas using EtO were inspected, work procedures were carefully reviewed, and the design of the equipment was assessed. A series of cost-effective control measures were then recommended and implemented. These included reducing the need for EtO by using alternate sterilization methods where possible, isola...