Occupational Safety and Health reporting

Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, Bureau of National Affairs, Washington, D.C., 1970—present. 

Infectious patients present a difficult challenge when trying to protect health care workers. These patients must be isolated from the health care workers as well as from the other patients in the hospital. Special isolation rooms are used for this purpose. These rooms are generally used for isolation of infectious tuberculosis (TB) patients, but could be used for patients with other airborne-transmitted diseases. In the United States, there were 22 812 new cases of tuberculosis in 1993, equal to 8.7 per 100 000 population. This represents a 2.8% increase since 1985, following a 6-7% annual decline from 1981-1984.Several studies have documented higher than expected tuberculin skin test (TST) conversion rates in hospital personnel.The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health " reports that multiple-drug-resistant (MDR) strains of TB have been reported in 40 states and have caused outbreaks in at least 21 hospitals, with 18-35% of exposed workers having documented TST conversions. 

Chrostek WJ, Thoburn TW. 1976. Health hazard evaluation determination. General Electric Company, Silicone Products Department, Waterford, New York. Cincinnati, OH U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Report No. 74-107-279. 

Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, 40 OSHR 537 (June 24,2010). Also see D. Slitor testimony, Hearings on Health and Safety Standards Relating to Oil Industry, Oil Rigs, and Drilling, Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives (June 23,2010). 

Anonymous (Swedish Board of Occupational Safety and Health, Report 1981, 35f.). 

---