How do you protect yourself?
Hazard assessments are essential in workplaces where HP-APIs are handled. This assessment includes recording the type of HP-API used, as well as the type and duration of the activities performed by the employee. Furthermore, in the guidelines from SUVA, the Swiss accident insurance institute (2004), protection measures for handling during manufacturing, in the clinic and in the laboratory are described in detail.
Personal protective measures
- Suitable work clothes
- Protective gloves
- Respirator masks
- Protective glasses
Technical protective measures
- Suitable spaces and facilities.
- Manufacturing and sample preparation in a suitable safety cabinet or isolator.
- Using technical aids such as pressure relief or transfer systems.
The use of systems for preparation which prevent the release of HP-APIs, particularly when there are no safety cabinets or isolators available.
- The manufacturing and preparation of HP-APIs should be performed in a separated working area.
- The working area must have sufficient and suitable ventilation.
- The room ventilation technology must not compromise the functioning of the safety cabinet.
- Working areas in which HP-APIs are manufactured and analysed must be labelled.
- Work areas and surfaces should be smooth and easy to clean.
Organisational protective measures
A concept for prevention of a hazard in the event of:
- Manufacturing and preparation
- Transportation
- Logistics in the company
- Storage
- For the disposal of these substances
For every one of the steps, guidelines and operating instructions (Standard Operating Procedures; SOPs) must be present, observed and checked. This particularly includes regulations for sample preparation, the choice of suitable analysis techniques and the correct usage and requalifying of the safety cabinets.
When handling HP-APIs in the safety cabinet, care should be taken that there is no prevalent high pressure or low pressure in the containers. Slow pressure equalisation must be taken into account particularly when removing objects from the injection containers. To protect employees, they should be trained in advance about the hazards and measures to be taken when working with HP-APIs. Responsibility for compliance with the guidelines and any applicable training measures lies with the person responsible for occupational safety.