Websites on Surgery and Safety

This is a sampling of websites dealing with occupational hazards in operating rooms. For more, go to Google and type in a description of your chosen hazard (for example, “surgical smoke“)

• Healthcare Wide Hazards Module: OSHA training on hazards and solutions to healthcare hazard issues. (Look under ‘Modules’ for the training modules. “Home” has an extensive glossary.)
• Laser Safety and the Eye: Discusses the dangers lasers pose to eyes and how to protect your eyes.
• Laser/Electrosurgery Plume: Information from OSHA on ‘surgical smoke’, methods of preventing or controlling it, and information on labor safety standards.
• Occupational Health for Healthcare Providers: Information from OSHA about occupational hazards, information on prevention and screening, statistics, research, and links to articles.
• OSHA on Waste Anesthetic Gases: Information about the hazards of waste anesthetic gas and how to mitigate them.
• OSHA Technical Manual – Hospital Investigations – Health Hazards: Information on common hospital hazards, and the steps that should be taken to prevent injury.
• Technological Advances in Lighting and Booms for the OR—Impact on Infection Control and OR Efficiency: An article from Infection Control Today looking at a new technology affecting safety in the operating room.

Journal Articles on Surgery and Safety

This is a small sampling of articles dealing with occupational hazards in operating rooms.

• Gilmore GK. Infection control: IC advances decrease patient and staff risk. Nursing Management. 2001; 32(12): 54-56. doi:10.1097/00006247-200112000-00016. Retrieved from CINAHL with Full Text database.
• Norris JL. Fire safety in the operating room. AANA Journal. 1994; 62(4): 342-345. Accessed December 5, 2022. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.rtc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=107456095&site=ehost-live. Retrieved from CINAHL with Full Text database.
• Scott E, Beswick A, Wakefield K. The hazards of diathermy plume: part 1: the literature search. British Journal of Perioperative Nursing. 2004; 14(9): 409-414. doi:10.1177/175045890401400904. Retrieved from CINAHL with Full Text database.
• Taylor DL III. Home study program. Bloodborne pathogen exposure in the OR — what research has taught us and where we need to go. AORN Journal. 2006; 83(4): 833-852. doi:10.1016/S0001-2092(06)60004-5. Retrieved from CINAHL with Full Text database.