Hygienic handling

Hygienic handling means that contact of the medicine with sources of microbiological contamination are minimised. 

Hygienic handling is the most important factor for good aseptic handling, both in the pharmacy and during reconstitution on hospital wards (see Sect. 31.3.3). 

Proper hygienic handling by the patient can be improved with a well-constructed container, such as a tube for a cream, a Gemo dropper bottle for eye drops, or a pump sprayer for nose drops that uses air from the surroundings. In addition, the patient should be informed clearly and sufficiently about the importance of hygienic handling of the medicine (see Sect. 37.7.4). 

Wet scrubbers are very commonly used following dry collectors. The particles are separated from air by contacting it with a liquid, usually water. The well-known venturi scrubber is preferred in spray drying systems because it offers easy cleaning and maintenance. It can be used for food and pharmaceutical materials that require hygienic handling. A venturi... 

Acrolein, acrylamide, hydroxyalkyl acrylates, and other functional derivatives can be more hazardous from a health standpoint than acryhc acid and its simple alkyl esters. Furthermore, some derivatives, such as the alkyl 2-chloroacrylates, are powerful vesicants and can cause serious eye injuries. Thus, although the hazards of acryhc acid and the normal alkyl acrylates are moderate and they can be handled safely with ordinary care to industrial hygiene, this should not be assumed to be the case for compounds with chemically different functional groups (see Industrial hygiene Plant safety Toxicology). 

Environmental Issues. The mbber industry has responded to concerns about the environment by developing new product forms for accelerators and other chemicals which improve industrial hygiene and minimize worker exposure to these materials by eliminating dust exposure and improving handling ease. Another important benefit for newer product forms is better, more consistent quaHty mbber products resulting from improved factory practices. 

Many grades of PVB and PVF resias are made, and most are eventually compounded and used as multicomponent products. Individual product MSDSs need to be consulted prior to handling and each product should be handled appropriately and ia accordance with good iadustrial hygiene and safety practices, which iaclude appropriate skin, respiratory, and eye protection. 

Although metallic antimony may be handled freely without danger, it is recommended that direct skin contact with antimony and its alloys be avoided. Properly designed exhaust ventilation systems and/or approved respirators are required for operations that create dusts or fumes. As with other heavy metals, orderly housekeeping practice and good personal hygiene are necessary to prevent ingestion of (or exposure to) antimony. 

Melamine ia a skin test on rabbits produced neither local irritation nor systemic toxicity. As a 10% solution ia methylceUulose, it caused no irritation ia the eyes of rabbits. Human subjects were given patch tests with melamine. No evidence of either primary irritation or sensitization was found. Such results suggest that melamine crystal may be handled ia ordinary iadustrial use without special hygienic precautions. 

Chloramine-T, sodium A/-chloro-/)-toluenesulfonamide [127-65-17, was widely used during World War I for the treatment of infected wounds, and subsequentiy for hygienic purposes such as mouthwashes, douches, etc. It can be used for sanitising food-handling equipment, but its activity is considerably slower than that of hypochlorites. The Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (1985) and the Ordinance and Code for Restaurants (1948) of the U.S. Pubhc Health Service permitted the use of chloramine-T. 

In handling EP(D)M, normal industrial hygienic procedures should be followed. It is advisable to minimi2e skin contact. The use of EP(D)M is permitted for food contact under the conditions given in the respective EDA-paragraphs 177.1520 for Olefin polymers, and 177.2600 for mbber articles intended for repeated use. 

Any special handling or industrial hygiene (IH) concerns not clearly indicated m the MSDS ... 

Safe Handling of Colourants 2 Hazard Classification and Selection of Occupational Hygiene Strategies (1993) Safe Handling of Eonnaldehyde (2nd edn) (1995)... 

Some occupational hygiene aspects of man-made mineral fibres and new technology fibres Safe handling requirements dunng explosive, propellant and pyrotechnic manufacture Simplified calculations of blast induced injuries and damage Laboratory work with chemical carcinogens and oncogenes Rosin (colophony) a review... 

The air-handling processes should be arranged to take into account the thermal, aerodynamic, and acoustic factors air quality moisture control and cleanliness and other hygiene aspects. 

Tile standard requires tlie preparer to describe tlie precautions for safe handling and use. Tliese include recommended industrial hygiene practices, precautions to be taken during repair and maintenance of equipment, and procedures for cleaning up spills and leaks. Some manufacturers also use Uiis section to include useful itiformation not specifically required by the standard, such as EPA waste disposal tnethods and state atid local requiretnents. 

Handling conditions must be hygienic. Some types of food, such as milk, can be kept sealed within the processing system. If the food will be exposed to the air during handling, the conditions of the surrounding air - in terms of temperature, humidity and cleanliness - must be the best that can be maintained. This is especially the case with fresh meats. 

Quality systems require that facilities and equipment should be appropriate to the activities undertaken. Surfaces that are easy to clean and maintain in hygienic condition are a requirement in many situations. For example, cloth-backed chairs would not be acceptable in a laboratory that handled potentially biohazardous materials. Equipment should be checked at installation to demonstrate that it can perform its desired function. This is frequently done using an Installation Qualification, Operational Qualification and Performance Qualification (IQ /OQ/PQ) commissioning process. Routine maintenance and calibration programmes are then required to ensure that equipment continues to deliver the specified performance. 

Of these sources, Kirk-Othmer s Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology is particularly recommended for questions on chemistry and on end uses. For information on properties and on toxicity and handling hazards, Patty s Industrial Hygiene, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and the Aldrich catalog are very nseful. Questions on industrial chemistry should be directed to Ullman s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, and the texts by Chenier, Heaton, and White. Hawley s Condensed Chemical Dictionary is valuable as a source for dehnitions of the terms (language) of chemistry. 

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