The US-American Occupational Safety and Health Administration has produced a
new training video for healthcare employers and workers that explains the
proper use of respirators and the procedures to follow to assure that
respirators protect workers from airborne hazards in healthcare settings. The
33-minute video explains the major components of a respiratory protection
program including fit-testing, medical evaluations, training and maintenance.
The video also discusses the difference between respirators and surgical masks,
features a segment on common respiratory hazards found in healthcare settings,
and demonstrates how respirator use helps protect workers from exposure to
airborne chemicals.

The 33-minute video explains the major components of a respiratory protection
program including fit-testing, medical evaluations, training, and maintenance.
The video also discusses the difference between respirators and surgical masks,
and features a segment on common respiratory hazards found in healthcare
settings, including airborne infectious agents that cause diseases such as
tuberculosis, pandemic influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS),
chicken pox, and measles.

Demonstrations also show how respirator use helps protect workers from exposure
to airborne chemical hazards such as formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, which are
used commonly in hospital laboratories to preserve tissue samples for medical
analysis. These toxic substances can cause eye and nasal irritation, headaches,
asthma, and other symptoms. Additionally, formaldehyde is a carcinogen and has
been linked to nasal and lung cancer, with possible links to brain cancer and
leukemia.

More info

AplusA-online.de - Source: U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration