Page 45 - Occupational Health & Safety, August 2018

HAND PROTECTION
Fentanyl Risks Put Focus on Hand Protection in Many Environments
Those most likely to be exposed, such as police and fire personnel, EMTs, ER staff, and forensic lab personnel, should be transitioning to gloves that provide comprehensive protection against fentanyl. BY JOE KUBICEK
www.ohsonline.com
AUGUST 2018 | Occupational Health & Safety 41
The ongoing drug epidemic in the United States is getting worse by the day. Drug over- doses claimed the lives of more than 64,000 people in this country in 2016—an increase of 21 percent over 2015. Opioids were responsible for some 42,000 of those deaths and synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, were responsible for almost half of that number. In fact, synthetic opioids are driving the extreme spike in drug fatalities. The 20,000 deaths traced to synthetic opioids in 2016 were more than double the total in 2015, and overdose deaths from synthetic opioids other than methadone have in- creased an average of 88 percent each year since 2013. We are losing the war on drugs, and fentanyl and oth- er synthetic opioids are the biggest reasons why.
Fentanyl is estimated to be 50 to 100 times more powerful than heroin, and even small amounts of fen- tanyl can be fatal if ingested or inhaled. Simple con- tact with the drug can trigger adverse reactions. This means fentanyl is a real danger not just to users, but to anyone who comes in contact with it. That could include first responders, such as EMTs and police; doctors, nurses, and other emergency room staff; TSA personnel; and even hotel cleaning crews. In fact, with drug use so rampant and fentanyl use skyrocketing,
these risks exist in almost all workplaces.
Wherever workers are using drugs—and it’s hap-
pening everywhere—co-workers are at increased risk. It’s critical that workers, including those who may be in position to administer first aid, understand the signs of an overdose and how to safely treat the victim.
When dealing with a fentanyl overdose, safely treating the victim can be a challenge. These over- doses are often ugly, with vomiting a common symp- tom. Someone providing emergency aid to an over- dose victim may come in contact with fentanyl in those bodily fluids, and fentanyl remains potent even when mixed with gastric acid. Similarly, a co-worker and others attending to an overdose victim could pick up fentanyl residue from the victim’s clothing or surroundings and run the risk of exposure or even ingestion by rubbing an eye or scratching a nose. With a drug as powerful as fentanyl, such contact poses a massive risk.
Wearing appropriate PPE is critical, and it starts with hand protection. After all, the hands are the first and primary point of contact between the victim and the person providing aid. Just as there are gloves de- signed for cut protection or chemical resistance, there are gloves tested and proven to provide protection
ANSELL