Page 52 - WOM August 2018_FINAL_SPREADS_Neat

“my mission, is to educate nurses products in most practices
ALWAYS READ
THE LABEL
ARE THE CHEMICALS YOU USE EVERY DAY,
SAFE FOR EVERYDAY USE?
hat were you doing in
May 1999?
W Tables everywhere were
ablaze with debate, as Australians
all discussed the coming republican
referendum. “No Scrubs” by TLC sat
at #1 in the ARIA charts for the whole
month, and Star Wars: The Phantom
Menace had just hit theatres.
While all of this was happening
in Australia, four researchers in the
U.K., at the Birmingham Heartlands
Hospital’s Department of Respiratory
50 WORD OF MOUTH SPRING 18
Medicine and Occupational Lung name for glutaraldehyde) was banned
2
Disease Unit, published a paper titled from U.K. hospitals.
‘Glutaraldehyde: an occupational Jurgen Kuhefuss from Bio Hygiene
hazard in the hospital setting.’ hopes to change the way these
Their report indicated “the products are used in dental and
importance of glutaraldehyde as an medical practices around Australia.
occupational hazard in the hospital Jurgen and his team at Bio Hygiene
setting” and stressed, “…use of have worked hard to create a safer
extraction fans, respiratory protection, alternative, with their infection control
and training of personnel handling this range of cleaners and disinfectants.
chemical should be the first steps of Jurgen wants the whole dental and
1
any prevention strategy.” medical industry to get smarter and
By May 2002, Cidex (the brand safer around all cleaning chemicals,
on a safer and more environmentally can be made safer, as long
friendly workplace. as you carefully follow the
Having spent the last 20 years in manufacturer’s instructions –
the chemical manufacturing industry, especially when it comes to the
Jurgen says there are two things you amount of chemicals you should
must remember when working with be using.
any chemical substances, “always “People often use more
read the label” and “always read the product than is actually required
– especially if an area is heavily
label!”
hazards become the norm, Jurgen soiled. Adding more won’t
As with any industry where safety
necessarily make the working
area or device any cleaner. It
says that it’s easy for staff and
could, in fact, have the opposite
practitioners to get laxed around
reading the labels and MSDS effect – and even damage expensive questions you might have about the
Bio Hygiene can answer any
(Material Safety Data Sheets), but
equipment.”
he stresses that “you have to allow
So, with safer options available to
products you are currently using
replace existing hazardous chemicals
and tell you if they are safe and
yourself some time to read exactly
what is in the chemicals you use
chemical applications inside the
every day.” and smarter solutions available for environmentally friendly.
After all; it’s your health on the line
When you look at the next bottle
of cleaning product, pay particular surgery; why are dental and medical – and you shouldn’t have to clean like
practices still using out-dated
it’s 1999.
attention to any warnings or pictograms. chemicals? If you have any questions regarding
For example, some chemicals used to Kuhfess believes that no one your current products, or if you’re
clean suction lines features a dead fish should expose themselves to needless interested in making the switch to the
next to a dead tree; which is the GHS hazardous poisons, dental and Bio Hygiene range of cleaners and
(Global Harmonised System) pictogram medical staff are becoming much disinfectants; go to
(GHS09) this means ‘significant damage more aware of the safer options http://www.biohygiene.com.au or
to aquatic life.’ If you spot this on any out there; but some dental chair email; info@biohygiene.com.au
products you use in your practice, then manufacturers are still forcing dental
this means that you’re using a product practitioners to use specific (and often 1 Di Stefano F., Siriruttanapruk S., McCoach
classed as a marine pollutant. These out-dated) cleaners. J. & Sherwood Burge P. Glutaraldehyde: an
products must be stored in a well- “Hundreds of chair brands are occupational hazard in the hospital setting. 27
ventilated area not just placed in the sold in Australia and most of them May 1999. ISSN 0105-4538
cupboard or under the sink. can be cleaned and maintained with 2 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1775534.
All dental and medical staff should any product that’s up to Australian stm. Withdrawal of disinfectant hit by safety
be aware of products containing standards. However, there are a fears. Tuesday, 22 January 2002
Phenols, which have been linked to an couple of brands out there who will 3 https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/24/us/a-
3
effect on babies while in utero. void your warranty if you don’t use study-finds-link-between-birth-defects-and-
Jurgen says that many existing their specific, pre-approved brands.” solvents.html
WORD OF MOUTH SPRING 18 51