Survey to examine healthcare workers’ risk of asthma

Healthcare workers are exposed to
many occupational risks, incl. asthma.

Healthcare is North America’s largest industry, but it can expose workers to a multitude of work-related risks, including

• Work-related asthma
• Harsh cleaning products
• Latex
• Indoor air pollution
• Pathogens

More information is needed to protect workers accurately from asthma risks, so the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) wants to assess the situation with a comprehensive survey of hospital- and nursing home-based healthcare workers.

The goal is to identify modifiable occupational risk factors for asthma that can help authorities formulate and implement prevention strategies.

The proposed survey would include several thousand healthcare workers from New York City, who can participate online or by phone.

The participating workers will include certified nursing assistants, central supply, environmental services, licensed practical nurses, lab techs, operating room techs, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, and dental assistants.

The survey can also help make healthcare workers more aware of the asthma risks at their workplace, so that they can help identify risk factors and solutions.

Do you think this survey will help the healthcare industry? Share your thoughts with us.

Source: Risk and Insurance

Air cleaners for healthcare settings

In order to reduce asthmagens (pollutants that can cause or aggravate asthma symptoms), indoor air needs to be controlled, ventilated and cleaned.

Electrocorp has developed portable and powerful air cleaners for hospitals and healthcare, which feature a complete filtration system to remove fine particles, dust, chemicals, VOCs, odors, fumes, mold, bacteria and viruses from the ambient air.

Electrocorp's RAP series combines
carbon and HEPA filters for best results.

The filtration system contains

• Deep-bed activated carbon filter for gaseous pollutants and odors
• HEPA filter for particles
• Easy-clean pre-filters
• UV germicidal filtration for pathogens and mold (optional)

Highly recommended air cleaners for healthcare settings include the RAP series, which come in different sizes and filter configurations to provide the most efficient IAQ solution, the AirMedic+ series, a small and portable air purifier for individual rooms that offers supreme particle filtration and the I-6500 series, a top-rated air cleaner for larger spaces or in rooms that require strict air quality control.

Electrocorp also offers air cleaners for dental labs as well as other types of laboratories.

For more information, contact Electrocorp today.

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Dental practices take steps toward better IAQ

The air quality in dental practices or dental labs can be poor.

It’s always heartening to hear about companies or professionals going the extra mile to protect their clients’ health and well-being.

In the case of a dental practice in New York State’s Fredonia, the doctors are collaborating with a Tobacco Free Program and banning smoking outdoors as well to improve the overall indoor air quality in the building and to model good behavior to youngsters.

Even in smoke-free buildings, secondhand smoke can remain a pollution factor when people are allowed to smoke outside the building.

The smoke often enters the building through windows, cracks, vents and doors and impacts the indoor air quality.

Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemicals and toxins that have been linked to serious health conditions and, of course, cancer.

Since smoking represents a high risk for the development of oral cancer as well, the dentists plan to make their practice a healthier place.

Dental practices are not the only ones taking non-smoking efforts very seriously.

An article in the Observer estimated that at least 400 locations across NY State have joined the movement of tobacco free outdoor areas, including Times Square and Central Park in New York City.

Improve indoor air quality in dental labs

Tobacco smoke is not the only pollutants that dental labs and dental practices should be concerned about.

A dental environment has the potential to contain anesthetic gases, chemical fumes, dental materials and even pathogenic microorganisms aerosolized from the patient, dental staff and equipment they use.

The I-6500 is a cabinet-style air cleaner
for high efficiency air purification.

Electrocorp has designed affordable, portable and highly efficient air cleaners for dental labs that can work around the clock to remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants.

The air cleaners feature a multistage filtration system with many pounds of activated carbon for the adsorption of gaseous pollutants and odors, a HEPA filter to trap particles and dust and optional UV germicidal filtration to help neutralize contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and mold.

Dental clinics can easily improve their indoor air with air cleaners such as the RAP Series, the AirMedic+ Series or the I-6500 Series.

For more information and options, please contact an Electrocorp representative.