Safety Tool: Waste Anesthetic Gases Educational Brochure From NIOSH

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a part of the CDC, offers a free, downloadable brochure on waste anesthetic gases.

Waste anesthetic gases are small amounts of volatile anesthetic gases that leak from the patient's anesthetic breathing circuit into the air of operating rooms during delivery of anesthesia. These gases may also be exhaled by patients recovering from anesthesia. Waste anesthetic gases include both nitrous oxide and halogenated anesthetics such as halothane, enflurane, isoflurane, desflurane and sevoflurane, and methoxyflurane.

Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox!

Exposure to high concentrations of waste anesthetic gases can include the following health effects:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Difficulties with judgment and coordination
• Liver and kidney disease

The purpose of the 16-page brochure is to do the following:

• Increase awareness about the adverse health effects of waste anesthetic gases
• Describe how workers are exposed to waste anesthetic gases
• Recommend work practices to reduce these exposures
• Identify methods to minimize leakage of anesthetic gases into the work environment

Download the NIOSH brochure on waste anesthetic gases (pdf) for use in your facility.

View our database providing 75-plus reports that link to free, downloadable and adaptable tools for use in surgery centers, hospitals and other provider organizations by clicking here.

Related Articles on Safety Tools:

'Stop Tuberculosis' Poster From CDC

AANA's Conscious Sedation Brochure

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Program Assessment