Tammy
     You are correct. We only do a formalin and xylene monitoring when we
have new employee or other, as you have stated. When we do need to monitor
for new or other. We all wear the monitor badge on the same day.  Doesn't
matter who is grossing or who is doing what.  It is a general over view of
exposure on a routine day.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barnhart, Tammy" 
To: "'Stacy McLaughlin'" ;
"histonet@pathology. swmed. edu (E-mail)" 
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2003 12:59 PM
Subject: RE:


> Stacy,
>        I have to disagree with your statement that OSHA requires annual
> monitoring for formaldehyde.  In the OSHA regulations (Federal Register,
> section 1910.1048 Formaldehyde) it states that initial monitoring should
be
> performed after the employer has determined that there are employees that
> may be at or above the action level.  If the employer does not wish to
> monitor each employee, they can develop a representative sampling strategy
> and measure sufficient exposures within each job classification to
correctly
> characterize and not underestimate the exposure of any employee within
each
> exposure group.  The initial monitoring process need only be repeated (if
> the initial monitoring was below the exposure limits) if there are changes
> in production, equipment, process, personnel, or control measures which
may
> result in new or additional exposure to formaldehyde.
>        Periodic monitoring (once every 6 months if last monitor was above
> the action level, or once a year if above the STEL) is needed only for
> employees who were shown by the initial monitoring to be exposed at or
above
> the STEL.
>        Monitoring may be terminated if the results from two consecutive
> sampling periods taken at least 7 days apart show that the employee
exposure
> is below the action level and STEL.
>
>        Anyway, that is a simplified version or the regulations and more
> information is contained in the registry.  Unless you have had a monitor
> above the limits or suspect that there are exposures that could be above
the
> limit, yearly monitoring is not needed.  At our institution, we do an
> initial monitor (X2) on every new employee.  We will re-monitor (X2) any
> employee using new equipment or procedures we feel may increase their
> exposures and monitor our areas of most exposure (gross bench and person
who
> changes the processor) every three of four years just for the heck of it.
> CAP honors the OSHA guidelines, I am not positive about JCAHO.
>
> Tammy Barnhart, BS, HTL(ASCP)
> Anatomic Pathology Supervisor
> St. Alexius Medical Center
> Bismarck, ND
> tbarnhart@primecare.org
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stacy McLaughlin [mailto:Stacy_McLaughlin@cooley-dickinson.org]
> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2003 10:59 AM
> To: 'Chung, Luong'; Histonet (E-mail)
> Subject: RE:
>
>
> Hello,
> OSHA and JCAHO require that monitoring for these be done annually.  We do
> our monitoring of the tasks that will result in the highest levels of
> exposure.  There are requirements for short term exposure limits (15
> minutes) or time weighted averages (8 hours).  You can do individual
> monitoring of techs and monitoring in areas that have high levels of these
> vapors.
> Your safety officer should be able to help you with more info.
> Stacy McLaughlin, HT
> Lead Tech Histology
> Cooley Dickinson Hospital
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chung, Luong [mailto:lchung@ppmh.org]
> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2003 10:23 AM
> To: Histonet (E-mail)
> Subject:
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> Kinda quite lately...
>
> Can anyone tell me how often do you all do a formaldehyde and xylene
> monitor?  Do you do one for individual tech or just one for the entire
lab?
>
> Thanks
>
> Bruce Chung, MSM, CT(ASCP)
> Anatomic Pathology Manager
> (229) 312-6130
>
>
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