Environmental Health & Safety Newsletter

    October 2002 Volume 6, Number 3

EH&S

MISSION STATEMENT

The  Medical College of  Georgia Environmental Health  and  Safety  Division  (EH&S)   provides   environmental  safety services to staff,  patients,  students, and visitors. 

The  six  sections  of    EH&S,   Administration,  Biological Safety, Chemical Safety, Environmental  Health  &  Occupational Safety, Fire Safety,  and  Radiation  Safety  ensure   full compliance with all local, state and federal laws.

We strive to continually improve  the  level  and quality of services  provided  through creativity, teamwork and innovation.

THIS ISSUE:

From the Director 

Clinical Emergency Response to Radioactive Material Contamination

Radioactive Material Procurement

What’s That Smell?

Are You Prepared?

Potential Hazards of Class II Bio-safety Cabinets and Bunsen Burner Use

Oral Rehabilitation Lab Recognized for Support of Chemical Safety Program

Vascular Biology Center Lab Recognized for Radiation Safety Excellence

Heat Illnesses, Symptoms, Dangers and First Aid

Gaining Support for Off-The-Job Safety

As Simple as Heating Water in a Microwave

From the Director:

Hazardous biological materials are becoming a source of increasing regulatory concern.  In  1996,  the  Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act  was  passed.  This act established provisions to regulate the transfer of “select” biological agents.  These  agents  included  viruses such as ebola and marburg, bacteria such as Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia Pestis, toxins such as aflatoxin, conotoxin, and various other agents that have the potential to pose a severe threat to public safety and health.  Fines  of  up to $250,000 and 5 years in jail  for  individuals  and  $500,000 for institutions could be imposed  for  the  unauthorized  transfer  of these select agents.  Fortunately, the act provided a number of medical use and research exemptions that lessened the impact on MCG.

Shortly after September 11, 2001 the Patriots Act was passed.  This 342 page Act was designed to provide appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism and terrorist  activities.  It expanded  the  government’s  ability  to   prosecute   persons suspected of possessing biological agents  to  be  used  for  terrorist  acts.  It also criminalizes the “possession, transport, and receipt of such agents by persons who are under indictment, have been imprisoned for more than one year, are fugitives from justice, unlawful users of a controlled substance, illegal aliens, aliens not admitted for permanent residence from certain  terrorist countries,  or who have been dishonorably  discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces.”

The recently passed Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Response Act deals broadly with public health measures against bioterrorism and also addresses laboratory security issues.  This act combines the select agents from the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act with a “high consequence livestock pathogen and toxin” list and requires the registration of all institutions possessing any of these agents.  At the present time,  there  are  no exemptions  for  medical  or  research  use to this registration requirement.

What  does  all  this  mean  to  MCG?  In  a  word, “change.”  Registration is a certainty.  Increased  laboratory  security,  improved  procedures  for  tracking, disposal  and  use  of  agents, additional  record-keeping   and   training,  and background checks may be required in the future.  As  new  requirements are  mandated,  EH&S  will  work  with the  Biological  Safety  Committee and the research community to minimize impacts on research and to ensure continued compliance with the law.

Written by:

James S. Davis, Ph.D., CHP, Director, Environmental Health and Safety

Clinical Emergency Response to Radioactive Material

Contamination

With the increase of  terrorist activity around the world, the likelihood  of  terrorist  activity  incorporating   the   use of   radioactive   material  continues to  become  more  probable.  News   reports   abound  with speculation concerning this scenario.  As a  major  university  campus and center of medical  activity,   this  institution  presents a  target  for the  procurement  of radioactive  material  by   those bent on terrorist  activity.  Also  the  clinical facilities,  due  to  their  size and  mission, would, more than  likely, be a focal point  for contaminated casualties generated from any source nearby.

The receipt of  contaminated  casualties  by clinical facilities is always a complex event. The actual risk to the patient is often complicated  by fear, lack of education in treatment,  lack of planning and preparation, and sometimes lack of equipment.  Listed below are some  principles  that,  if  followed, would eliminate some of the uncertainty  associated  with  the  receipt  and treatment of these contaminated patients.

The  most  important consideration  is  to  ensure  the appropriate and  timely  treatment  of  the  patient.  The patient’s medical condition  must  be  ascertained  and  the  patient  treated.  Radioactive contamination  does  not  preclude  medical treatment.  As a matter of fact, if the patient has a serious, life-threatening injury or condition, the treatment of the injury or condition will take precedence  over  any  decontamination  that  would  delay or preclude  necessary  treatment.  The  risk  to the patient from their medical injury or condition would, in most cases, be a far greater  risk  than  would be  the risk  from  the  contamination.  Decontamination of  the patient would take place secondarily and following necessary medical attention.

When receiving a contaminated patient, the most effective method of  decontamination  is  the removal of the patient’s clothing.  This will usually  remove a great percentage of the contamination whether  it  be  in solid, liquid, or gaseous form.  Clothing should be cut off, rolled up, and placed in a plastic bag for later removal.  The patient can then be covered with a clean sheet to preclude possible spread of residual contamination as the patient is processed.

All patients should be checked for contamination that has been internalized through inhalation, ingestion, or a wound.  This can be accomplished by the use of Q-tips.  Carefully swab around the mouth, nostrils, and all wounds to the skin.  It is probable that this screening technique will detect if there has been internal               contamination.  More definitive bioassay procedures can be accomplished as time and medical condition allow.

If a patient requires immediate medical care, and the opportunity to thoroughly decontaminate the patient before treatment or movement within the clinical area is not available, the rooms or areas  where  the patient must be processed or treated can be  covered with paper or plastic to allow for a much easier clean up.  This small and simple step can save a great deal of effort, time, and expense later.

It is good to remember that the vehicles that were involved in the transport of the contaminated patients to the hospital, may be, themselves, contaminated.  If time and operations  allow,  it  is often wise to decontaminate the vehicle before it returns to  normal operation.  This too can often save a great deal of  time, money, embarrassment, and bad publicity.

Patients contaminated with radioactive material can be treated more routinely than one might expect.  If proper preparations are made and common sense prevails, they can be treated successfully and the clinic can return to normal operation within a short period of time.

Written by Doug Watson, Asst. Director, EH&S

CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Radioactive Material Procurement

The Radiation Safety Office (RSOf) is required to approve all  radioactive material orders  prior  to  arrival  on  campus.  To  obtain  radioactive  material  the  request  must  be   entered  into  PeopleSoft  with   the  status  of   Pending  Approval   selected.  The   RSOf  will   change   the  status  to Approved  after  verifying the following information is approved for  the Authorized  User: authorization number assigned by RSOf, isotope,  possession limit,  lab,  delivery  point,  current  training, and  calibrated survey meter.  Supply Administration will place the order  after these steps have   occurred.  Radioactive    material    procurement   is   not authorized with a P-card.

Written by Risa Kitchens, Admin. Spec., IV

What’s That Smell?

Something smells, and you can’t figure out the source.  Can’t  be  day  old  leftovers,  no  one  eats  in  the lab right?  Where is it coming from?  Look in the sink.

One frequent  cause of odors - at least in laboratories - is an unused cup  sink. Like  all  sinks,  the  drains  on  cup  sinks   have  a  “U”  shaped trap below  or  farther down along the drain line. If the sinks are rarely  used  “U”   traps  may  dry  out  and  become a route  for sewer odors to enter the room.

Labs  with  fume hoods are even more  susceptible  to this  problem because the hoods provide a force  of  negative pressure that speeds drying of the “U” traps and then draws odors up from drain lines.

This    unpleasant    phenomenon   can   be   easily    prevented   by  periodically  running water for several minutes into all cup sinks to keep  the drain  traps full  of water. Adding a little mineral oil stops the evaporation process.

Source Safety Bulletin—July 2001

Submitted by  Jim Horne, Biological/Chemical Safety Officer

Are You Prepared?

At work do you know:

- who to contact if someone at work becomes ill or is injured?

- where the primary and alternate rally points are for your location?

- the Public Safety telephone number is 1-2911 for emergencies?

- where fire extinguishers and first aid kits are located?

- what to do if  you receive a National or terrorist threat?

- to contact EH&S for chemical spills and problems with indoor

  air quality at ext. 1-2663 or for radioactive spills call ext. 1-9828?

Written  by Patricia Lynn Walker, Admin. Spec. I

POTENTIAL HAZARDS OF CLASS II BIOSAFETY CABINETS AND BUNSEN BURNER USE

The use of Bunsen burners in laboratories was developed as a bench top procedure.  It has been grandfathered into “hood” procedures.  Bunsen burners often have an important role for use in chemical fume hoods when used prudently, but this is not the case in biological safety cabinets.

Prior to routinely using a biosafety cabinet (BSC) researchers (especially those working with cell cultures) would use an open flame to sterilize the media bottle by passing the opening through a flame.  Another common use was for a bacteriologist to dip a streaking rod or wire into alcohol and flame sterilize by igniting the alcohol.

On the bench, flaming the open neck of a bottle will not only flame microbes on the glass, it is also intended to create an upward draft which prevents microbes from falling into the open vessel.  In a Class II BSC, where re-circulated air flows downward onto the work surface (not upward into a duct), using an open flame actually disrupts the BSC airflow and can lead to contamination as more unfiltered air enters the BSC through the sash opening.

There is potential for dangerous situations arising from burner use in a BSC.  Recently, an incident in a Hong Kong university lab resulted in the BSC sash handle becoming so hot it could not be touched without gloves.  A Bunsen burner was left on in the Class II BSC with the sash closed.  The researcher left the area and returned to find lab staff trying to open the sash.  This type cabinet re-circulates 70% of the air, but with the sash closed, re-circulated air was increasingly becoming hotter.  Had the burner been left on longer more serious damage could have occurred. Fire or smoke can damage lab equipment, and heat damage to the hepa filters can cause filtration breaches that might go undetected until the next re-certification procedure.  This could expose worker(s) and the work to possible contamination.

Other risks with using flames in a Class II BSC:  If one is using alcohol to flame-sterilize an inoculating loop, the alcohol source can become ignited.  The tubing can become frayed or loose, resulting in a cloud of flammable gas - just waiting for an ignition source from the next person.  Also, the air re-circulation pattern in BSC could result in an open but inadvertently flameless burner, possibly causing an explosive situation when the next user re-ignites the flame.

In the sterile environment of a BSC, open flames are not necessary, and alternatives do exist.  If there is need to sterilize a platinum wire for microbial inoculation, there are commercially available electric “furnaces” or even disposable pre-sterilized inoculation loops. For a burner within a Class II BSC, an alternative would be the new micro-burners available from Fisher Scientific.  The micro-burners use a small pilot light and a touch plate is depressed for each flame use - thus removing the presence of a constant and larger flame from an older Bunsen burner.

It is recommended that open flames not be used in the Class II hoods unless approved by a responsible safety officer.

Source: IUPUI’s Lab Notes newsletter by James Klenner,

              Modified by Duane Perry, EHOS, Officer

ORAL REHABILITATION  LAB RECOGNIZED FOR SUPPORT OF CHEMICAL SAFETY PROGRAM

The  Chemical  Safety  Office  would  like  to  recognize Dr. John Wataha,  of   the   Departments  of  Oral  Rehabilitation  and  Oral Biology,  and  his Research  Assistant,  Petie Lockwood,  for  their  support  of    the  Chemical   Safety   Program  at  MCG.   Petie  is  responsible  for  operating  Dr. Wataha’s lab  and  has  continually maintained  high  health  and   safety   standards.  She  has  been at MCG since May, 1979  and has assisted Dr. Wataha since January,    1996.  During  that  time  Petie  has  co-authored  over  80 research    papers.  Additionally,  she  is  a  retired Sergeant First Class in  the  U.S.  Army  Reserve.  She  has  enjoyed   working  at MCG  in dental   research.   Petie states that  both   she   and      Dr.   Wataha     are continuing    to     perform     exciting research, and it is    an honor to work at  MCG with a wonderful group of people.

Source:  Article and photograph submitted by Jim Horne, Biological/ Chemical Safety Officer

Honors of Excellence

VASCULAR BIOLOGY CENTER LAB RECOGNIZED FOR  RADIATION SAFETY EXCELLENCE

The  Radiation   Safety   Office   would   like  to  recognize  MCG’s Vascular Biology Center’s Dr. David Pollock and his lab personnel for their excellence in meeting radiation safety requirements in their lab.  Their   laboratory   notebooks   are   always   current   and   lab personnel have been  observed  implementing  good radiation safety procedure  when   they   have  used  radioactive  material.  Monthly surveys performed by radiation  safety personnel  have  verified  the fact that Dr. Pollock’s rad workers  have  done  their post  protocol  surveys  as little or  no  contamination has   been    noted   in   his laboratory.

Dr. Pollock’s rad workers have    also     maintained security  and  control   of their  radiation   material and  no  violations  have been  observed.  Although Dr. Pollock has fourteen people working in  his lab,  the  training  for  all  of  his  people  remains  current so everyone is making a conscious effort to  meet their annual training requirements.  The Radiation Safety Department salutes Dr. Pollock and his lab  workers  for  their  outstanding  effort to meet or exceed radiation safety requirements.

Source: Article submitted by Philip Maguire, Assistant Radiation Safety Officer.  Photograph by John Schneider, Radiation Safety Technician

HEAT ILLNESSES, SYMPTOMS, DANGERS AND FIRST AID

Please review this information with all employees that work outside and/or in areas that are not air conditioned.

Heat Rash - a.k.a. prickly heat, occurs when people are         constantly exposed to hot and humid air, causing a rash.  Heat rash reduces the ability to sweat, hence the ability to tolerate the heat is reduced.

First Aid - Cleanse the affected area thoroughly and dry      completely.  Calamine or other soothing lotions may help relieve the discomfort.

Heat Cramps - may occur after prolonged exposure to heat.  They are painful intermittent spasms of the abdomen and other voluntary muscles.  Heat cramps usually occur after heavy sweating and may begin toward the end of the workday.

First Aid - Move immediately to a cooler area.  Rest, drink plenty of water.  Water is recommended, but electrolyte fluids may be used.

Heat Exhaustion - may result from physical exertion in hot  environments.  Symptoms may include profuse  sweating, weakness, paleness of skin, rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea, headache, vomiting, and unconsciousness. The skin is cool and clammy with sweat. Body temperature may be normal or subnormal.

First Aid - Move immediately to a comfortable area.  Rest in the shade or a cool place.  Drink plenty of water (preferred) or   electrolyte fluids.

Heat Stroke - is a serious medical condition that urgently      requires medical attention.  Sweating is diminished or absent, which makes the skin hot and dry.  Body temperature is very high (106 degrees and rising), and if uncontrolled, may lead to delirium, convulsions, brain damage, coma, and even death.

First Aid - This is a medical emergency!  Move immediately to a comfortable area.  Douse the body continuously with a cool liquid and summon medical aid immediately.

RESPOND QUICKLY TO THE SYMPTOMS OF HEAT ILLNESS AND SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION AS NEEDED!

Source: The National Safety Council; Modified by Jimmy Murray, Fire Safety Officer

GAINING SUPPORT FOR OFF-THE-JOB SAFETY

Safety  is  a  serious   issue  with  consequences that impact your department’s  daily  business  operations  and    the   daily   lives of   your    employees.   Last   year   5,100   workers   died   from  unintentional  occupational   injuries  and  over  3.8 million were disabled. Therefore, safety in the workplace is widely supported. However,  in  many  instances,  this is  where  the  concern ends.  To   successfully control unintentional injury  and  illness,  focus  on safety must  extend  outside  of  our  jobs ,  beyond our hours of operation.  Eight times more workers died of injuries suffered in and  out  of  their  homes than in the workplace.  Nearly twice as many workers suffered  disabling  injuries   off-the-job.   This impacts  your  employees,   families  and  departments   through       absenteeism,   turnover,   insurance   costs  and   more.  To   gain support for off-the-job safety  activities - you must  promote  the program’s    value.  Consider    your   department’s    off-the-job accident costs  and  revenue  needed  to  pay  for  the  costs  (i.e.,  medical  expenses,  wages  and  benefits,  claims  costs, costs  to train replacement workers, etc).  Based  on  these  statistics,  and other   contributing   factors,  determine   that   your  department  would   benefit  from  off-the-job  safety  initiatives.  Develop  a plan  to  incorporate  off-the-job   safety    in    your   employees professional development.

Source: National Safety Council (www.nsc.org)

              Modified by Jimmy Murray, Fire Safety Officer

AS SIMPLE AS HEATING WATER IN A MICROWAVE

Suppose you decide to have a cup of instant coffee or tea and heat the water in a microwave.  When removing the cup from the microwave you may not notice boiling water.  As did a 26 year old:  he looked into the cup and then instantly the water in the cup “blew up” into his face.  The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand, but all of the water had flown out into his face due to the buildup of energy.  His whole face was blistered and he received first and second degree burns.

While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven.  If water is heated in this manner, something such as a wooden stir stick or a tea bag should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy.

Here is what a science teacher had to say on the matter:  “I have seen this happen before.  It is caused by a phenomenon known as superheating.  It can occur any time when water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new.

Superheating can happen when the water heats faster than the vapor bubbles can form.  If the cup is very new, it is unlikely to have small  surface scratches  inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form.  As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat that has built up, the liquid does not boil.  It continues to heat up well past the boiling point, with just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid.

Source: Submitted by Duane Perry, EHOS Officer

Editor: Jackie Freeman

Radiation Safety Office Douglas Watson

Biological Safety  | Chemical Safety | EHOS | Fire Safety  | Radiation Safety | EH&S Training

Environmental Health and Safety | Medical College of Georgia
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January 05, 2007