Outlines For Workplace Hazardous Materials Strategies

The complaints do not specify when or how employees were exposed to the medications. Cytotoxic meds are used in chemotherapy, but they can cause adverse side effects. Health care workers at the Westlock Healthcare Centre have potentially been exposed to harmful cytotoxic medications without any kind of warning or a plan in place to minimize that exposure, according to the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE). Last week, AUPE filed five occupational health and safety complaints regarding health care workers� exposure to cytotoxic medications at five facilities in Westlock, Vegreville, Cold Lake and Edmonton. However, these complaints were actually based on 100 individual complaints received through the AUPE�s issue reporting process, which were spread fairly evenly among the five facilities, said AUPE vice president Carrie-Lynn Rusznak. �Even though we�ve had 100 individual complaints filed, we can only file (OHS complaints) on the facilities,� said Rusznak, noting they continue to receive complaints from their members almost daily. Cytotoxins are not a specific brand of medication, but rather a term that applies generally to medications that are harmful to cells. There are a wide variety of cytotoxic medications, which are also known as antineoplastic agents. They�re primarily used in chemotherapy, but they�re also being used to treat a growing number of illnesses like rheumatoid and juvenile arthritis.

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