Protects the people protecting patients: Closing the Safety Gap
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A white paper co-authored by Dr. Ivan Salgo (Vice President, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, ASP) and Dr. Richard Warburton (CTO and General Counsel, ChemDAQ Incorporated) addresses a major occupational health concern in CSSDs and and any workplaces utilizing hydrogen peroxide sterilization: the inadequacy of current hydrogen peroxide exposure standards.
Current U.S. OSHA regulations enforce a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 1 ppm based on an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average (TWA). However, this framework relies on decades-old data from the mid-20th century. The primary issue is that 8-hour TWA calculations average out chemical exposures over a full shift, masking sudden peak events. When technicians open sterilizer doors, residual hydrogen peroxide concentrations can spike to 25 – 40 ppm. Because hydrogen peroxide is odorless at hazardous levels, technicians suffer acute exposure without early warning, leading to respiratory, ocular, and dermal irritation.
Internationally, standard-setting bodies are recognizing that a TWA alone is insufficient. Countries like the UK, Ireland, and Denmark, along with U.S. states like Washington and Hawaii, have adopted Short-Term Exposure Limits (STELs) — typically 2 – 3 ppm over 15 minutes — to protect against acute bursts.
To protect staffs, healthcare facilities must implement continuous vapor monitoring systems and assured sterilization solutions to safegard the people protecting patients.
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