Ethylene oxide or EtO is one sneaky culprit. You can’t see or smell it. Before you know it, you’ve already been exposed to levels that can cause serious harm to human health. It is also flammable and highly reactive. An undetected leak may cause a fatal explosion. This substance is widely used in sterilizing medical equipment and in the production of other industrial chemicals.

Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a guide to help both employers and employees understand exposure levels and monitoring requirements for this substance. The OSHA Small Business Guide to Ethylene oxide also cites the action required depending on EtO monitoring results.

Below are some exposure reduction and prevention methods mentioned in the guide.

• Prepare for emergency. Your company’s emergency plan must be written and communicated to everyone. There must be an effective system to alert employees of emergency EtO exposures. The emergency plan should specify that employees responding to the emergency situation must be equipped with respiratory protection.
• Develop a written compliance program. Write a memorandum or summary report that outlines the steps you need to take at your facility to comply with the EtO standard.
• Reduce exposure with engineering controls and other methods. Investigate options for modifying or enclosing your EtO equipment. Helpful information can often be obtained from sterilization equipment manufacturers, trade associations, OSHA Consultation Program offices, and private consultants that specialize in industrial ventilation or industrial hygiene.
• Provide respiratory protection. Acute exposure to EtO gas may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Chronic exposure has been associated with the occurrence of cancer, reproductive effects, mutagenic changes, neurotoxicity, and sensitization.
• Provide information and training to all potentially exposed employees.
• Establish regulated areas. Areas where levels of EtO may exceed permissible exposure levels (PEL) must be regulated and provided with the proper signage.
• Ensure that cautionary labels are fixed to containers. A Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all hazardous materials should be maintained.
• Develop a medical surveillance program. Potentially exposed employees must undergo regular medical examinations to detect and prevent illness caused by exposure to EtO.

This guide may be easily accessed through the OSHA website.