LiAiSON. Formaldehyde. In This Issue. How does Formaldehyde affect human health?

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1 LiAiSON OCTOBER Marwell Medical Newsletter Formaldehyde How does Formaldehyde affect human health? Formaldehyde is toxic by inhalation, by skin contact, and by swallowing. Breathing Formaldehyde vapours can result in: irritation of nerves in the eyes and nose, which may cause burning, stinging or itching sensations a sore throat teary eyes blocked sinuses runny nose, and sneezing This health effect is commonly referred to as sensory irritation. Skin contact with Formalin Solution or Paraformaldehyde can cause skin rashes and allergic skin reactions. For the individual allergic to Formaldehyde, even very low concentrations are likely to cause skin reactions. Splashes into the eyes can cause irritation, corrosion of the cornea, and possibly blindness Formaldehyde...is a colourless, flammable gas with a pungent odour. It goes by a number of names including: Formaldehyde Solution Formaldehyde Gas Formalin Formalith Formol Formic Aldehyde Methaldehyde Methyl Aldehyde Methylene Oxide Morbicid Oxomethane Oxymethylene and Paraform Did you know Formaldehyde has been reclassified to a CATEGORY 2 CARCINOGEN* (may cause cancer by inhalation) * Safe Work Australia - July 2012: Change to Hazardous Substance entry for Formaldehyde In This Issue What is Formaldehyde Work Safely with Formaldehyde FormaldeMat Formaldehyde Spill Cleanup Kit Formaldehyde Work Station Formaldehyde Pot Station Plum Eye Wash

2 Work Safely with Formaldehyde Health care industry workers who are potentially at risk of experiencing health effects (sensory irritation) include embalmers, forensic/hospital mortuary workers and pathology laboratory workers. Factors that can contribute to the greater risk of health effects are high concentrations of Formaldehyde in the products that are handled, long exposure durations, high levels of manual handling of the products and specific work processes such as weighing out, mixing in open tanks, cleaning and maintaining equipment, and heating and spraying products, which can generate vapour. Marwell Medical have a range of products that can assist health care workers WORK SAFELY WITH FORMALDEHYDE. These include our Formaldehyde Workstation; Formaldehyde Pot Station, FormaldeMats and Formaldehyde Spill Cleanup Kit. FormaldeMat The FormaldeMat from KEM are chemically treated with a Formaldehyde neutralising agent, are highly absorbent and feature a plastic backed barrier which prevents Formaldehyde leaking through to the supporting surface. This makes them ideal for small spills of Formaldehyde and they help eliminate harmful breathing zone vapours that result from small tissue transfer and examination. The FormaldeMat is ideal for use in: Pathology - place on the cutting board for small tissue examination at the cross exam station. Wipe away excess Formaldehyde before cutting. Surgery - place under the control spout where specimen containers are filled with Formaldehyde. For Specimen storage and transfer - place on the cart as a liner for specimen containers. 2

3 Formaldehyde Spill Cleanup Kit Our MEDSpill Formaldehyde Spill Clean-up Kit enables you to respond quickly to dangerous Formaldehyde spills occurring in the healthcare environment while ensuring staff protection from exposure during the process. The MEDSpill Formaldehyde Spill Clean-up Kit is a comprehensive, single-use Spill Kit that will cleanup up to 11 Litres of Formaldehyde and includes PPE for the staff member cleaning up the spill. Our MEDSpill Kits can be supplied for a broad range of chemicals and are supplied in a solid tamper evident sealed container and are clearly labelled with a full information booklet containing first aid information, relevant MSDS and cleanup protocol. The tamper evident seals ensure that when the time comes to use the kit, everything needed is there for quick easy cleanup. Kit Contents: Solidifier Chemical Neutraliser Surface Wipes Personal Protective Equipment Emergency Eyewash Solution Disposal Waste Bag Floor Safety Sign Scoop & Scrapers Absorb Pillows Protocol Marwell Medical have worked with both large and small Healthcare facilities to create the perfect Spill Clean-up Kit for their requirements and protocols. Ask us about our MEDSpill: Chemical Spill Cleanup Kits Blood & Body Spill Cleanup Kits Cytotoxic Spill Cleanup Kits 3

4 Provide staff safety against Formaldehyde vapours with the Marwell Medical Formaldehyde Work Station & Formaldehyde Pot Station Our Formaldehyde Work Station and Formaldehyde Pot Station are a requirement for any Operating Room or Day Procedure Centre working with this NOHSC CATEGORY 2 carcinogen. Both units provide protection to staff who are working with Formaldehyde in specimen pots, specimen buckets and when decanting Formaldehyde from larger bottles. These units are easy and reliable to use with a low maintenance operation. Don t put your staff at risk, call us and order yours today. Formaldehyde Work Station Compact Bench Top Unit that is simple to use. There is a drip tray to contain any drips, splashes or spills that may occur. The Formaldehyde vapours are drawn through a heavy duty filter with clean filtered air exhausted. Optional extras are available to increase convenience and staff safety: - Trolley with a choice of shelves or built in cupboard space easily transport the Formaldehyde Work Station between Operating Rooms. - Automated dispenser pump to eliminate manual decanting eliminates manual handling of heavy Formaldehyde bottles and eliminates spills that can occur when manually decanting. Formaldehyde Pot Station Compact, Lightweight Bench Top Unit that is simple to use. There is a trolley available with a choice of shelves or built in cupboard space making it easily transported between Operating or Procedure Rooms. Simply open your specimen pot under the fume hood and the dangerous vapours are drawn through the heavy duty HEPA filter to have clean filtered air exhausted. Whenever the lid is off the specimen pot, keep it under the safety of the Formaldehyde Specimen Pot Station so that in the event that any spills, splashes or drips occur, staff will be protected from the vapours. 4

5 You only have two eyes - take good care of them with our PLUM EYE WASH solutions Sight is one of our most important senses. When an accident occurs, it is important to rinse the eye effectively and as fast as possible to prevent or limit the injury. Our Plum product range covers different types of eye wash for different types of injuries and different amounts of eye wash depending on use. You can hand-pick the products and put together a programme which is consistent with the needs and risks of your workplace. The Plum range includes: i. Plum Eye Wash: Available in 200ml, 500ml, 1 litre & 1 litre Duo bottles. ii. iii. ph Neutral: Available in 200ml, 500ml Duo & 1 litre (emergency shower) bottles. Wall mounted Eye Wash Stations: Available in a wide variety of combinations. i) PLUM EYE WASH: A 0.9% Sterile Sodium Chloride solution for mechanical injuries caused by foreign bodies which include metal/wooden splinters, dust and dirt. ii) ph NEUTRAL: Sterile 4.9% Phosphate buffer solution for injuries involving acids and alkalis, the caustic burn starts as soon as the damaging substance comes in contact with the eye. Sterile and long durability - Unopened the sterile eye wash solutions have a durability of 3 years. Easy and quick to use - Two simple steps and the bottle is ready for use. A clear user guide with text and pictograms on the bottles and stations helps you through the rinsing in a correct and safe manner. Correct use is ensured - The ergonomic eye cup ensures an easy and direct rinsing, and the fluid is led away from your eye during rinsing. The bottles are CE labelled in accordance with the regulations for medical equipment. iii) Wall Mounted Eye Wash Stations We have an eye wash station suitable for your workplace. Ask us about our available combinations. With Duo you can rinse both eyes simultaneously with a gentle and even flow. The shape of the eye cup helps keep the eyes open during rinsing. 5