Inhalation Anaesthetics Exposure Assessment

Hospital and veterinary staff are potentially exposed to gaseous and vaporising anaesthetics during and after surgical procedures.

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations require that health risks created by work involving hazardous substances should be assessed so that exposure can be prevented or controlled. This may include measurement to assess exposure and test the effectiveness of containment or ventilation, etc.

The Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) offers an analysis service for volatile anaesthetics sampled on reusable tube-type diffusive monitors. They are simple to use, unobtrusive and can be returned to HSL by post. Nitrous oxide is sampled on Molecular sieve 5A. Isoflurane, enflurane, sevoflurane and halothane are sampled on Chromosorb 106. Diffusive monitors are analysed at HSL by thermal desorption and gas chromatography.

• The laboratory methods are based on MDHS80 published by HSE Books in the Methods for Determination of Hazardous Substances series, with additional validation carried out by HSL.
• For nitrous oxide on Molecular Sieve, HSL has adapted MDHS80 to minimise interferences from water and carbon dioxide.
• Isoflurane, enflurane, sevoflurane and halothane can be measured on one Chromosorb diffusive monitor, singly or in any combination.
• Results can be given as time-weighted values expressed in mg/m3 or ppm.

The Service Provided by HSL
The customer can choose the level of service required. We can:

• supply the diffusive monitors only. These can be used to sample for periods between 0.25 - 8 hours and are then sent to HSL for analysis. HSL can advise on your particular application.
• provide trained staff to collect the samples at your site for subsequent analysis at HSL.
• provide qualified occupational hygienists to collect the samples, assess control measures and provide guidance on reducing exposure where appropriate.

HSL has extensive experience in occupational hygiene and atmospheric monitoring. We offer a range of services that can be combined to meet our needs:

• Analysis (chemical, biological, microbiological and fibres)
• On-site measurements
• Occupational hygiene surveys

Breath analysis is also available for anaesthetic gases.

Further Details
Contact our Business Development Group by telephone (+44) 01298 218218, fax (+44) 01298 218822 or email hslinfo@hsl.gov.uk.

  Back to the top