The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Managing occupational hazards confronting healthcare workers
Author:	Mody, Kiran A.
View Online:	njit-etd1994-109 (xvi, 192 pages ~ 6.4 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Occupational Safety and Health Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Gage, Howard (Committee chair) Kristol, David S. (Committee member) Buckler, Gail (Committee member)
Date:	1994-05
Keywords:	Public health personnal--Occupational diseases--Preventation. Hospitals--Safety measures.
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	The primary goal of this thesis is to identify, evaluate, and control occupational hazards that may exist in health care facilities. Due to the complex nature of health care facilities, healthcare workers are always challenged by an imposing group of occupational hazards. The magnitude and diversity of these hazards, and the constantly changing nature of government regulations make it difficult to guarantee absolute protection and accuracy of the material contained herein. However, awareness of the risks, compliance with basic preventive measures, and adequate interventions are all essential components to consider in protecting healthcare workers. Therefore, potential health effects of various hazards such as back injuries, heat, noise, infectious hazards, pharmaceutical hazards, chemicals, exposure to radiation, and prevalent psychosocial (stress) problems are reviewed, and rational approaches to managing and preventing these problems are offered. This thesis also presents a broad overview of hospital safety programs, and job safety analyses; it offers assistance in understanding and complying with regulations and guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).