| Various studies have presented reports on | | | | the part of the healthcare settings. Employers |
| exposure of healthcare workers to hazardous | | | | should ensure the implementation of safety |
| drugs. The drug preparation areas are found to | | | | equipments such as biological cabinets and closed |
| be contaminated with these drugs and there | | | | system drug transfer devices, and give |
| exists legion of cases of workers with detectable | | | | importance to their proper usage by the workers. |
| quantities of these agents in their urine. It is the | | | | With the assistance of workers, several written |
| responsibility of workers together with employers | | | | programs on safe handling of these toxic |
| of different healthcare settings to participate | | | | substances have been presented by healthcare |
| actively in controlling the extent of their exposure | | | | settings. These programs discuss various issues |
| to these harmful substances. | | | | on drug exposure and practice of engineering |
| Workers carry out different drug related | | | | controls, hygiene controls, safety equipments, etc. |
| processes and thus are exposed to dusts and | | | | to minimize the worker's exposure to hazardous |
| aerosols which generates out during preparation | | | | drugs. |
| and administration of the drug. These may | | | | Strict adherence to the safety guidelines and |
| present direct risks of exposure through skin | | | | co-operation of workers with employers will |
| contacts and through contaminated eatables and | | | | definitely improve the prevailing conditions of drug |
| food stuffs. | | | | exposure in healthcare facilities. The use of |
| According to safe handling guidelines published by | | | | personal protective equipments and good work |
| the healthcare organizations, workers should follow | | | | practices have shown to dramatically change the |
| various precautionary measures and activities to | | | | scenario of harmful effects of occupational |
| carry out safe handling of hazardous drugs. Only | | | | exposure to these drugs. |
| well-trained and experienced workers should form | | | | |