Safe Handling
Recommendations for precautions needed when handling hazardous drugs are consistent across several groups including NIOSH, OSHA, ONS and APHA, among other organizations. These recommendations do not differentiate between high and low risk situations as there is always the potential for contamination and no known minimum safe exposure.
Resources on Safe Handling
Resources on the topic of safe handling are available from ONS and other organization. |
Are you protected?
Read this 2009 article on the safe handling of hazardous drugs. |
Personal Protective Equipment
Review the recommendations for the use of personal protective equipment when administering hazardous drugs. |
Post-Administration Precautions
Precautions against exposure should be followed for at least 48 hours after hazardous drug administration. Review the current recommendations. |
Which Drugs Are Hazardous?
National and international organizations recommend precautions with hazardous drugs. Review the latest listings of these medications. |
Managing Spills
When hazardous drugs are administered, there is always a risk of spills and exposure. Nurses can minimize this risk with good technique and the availability of a hazardous drug spill kit. |
Spotlight on Symposia
Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs was the topic of two sessions at the May, 2010 ONS Congress. Read the summary review of these sessions on pages 21–24. |
Hot Topics Chat
Learn more about safe handling and incorporating recommendations in your practice. Review the transcripts from the August, 2008 Hot Topics Chat Series. |
Clinical Update to Safe Handling Book
The second edition of the text Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs (2011) makes reference to use of Surface Safe® solution, marketed by Hospira, Inc., for decontaminating primary engineering controls (see pp. 28, 30, and 55 in the publication). Subsequent to the publication of the ONS guidelines, Hospira has notified its customers that it will no longer be marketing this product. Beginning September, 2012, Surface Safe will be marketed by Covidien. |
Medical Surveillance
Learn the latest recommendations for medical surveillance of staff members administering and caring for patients receiving hazardous drugs. |