WASTE ANESTHETIC GAS CONTROL:

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR CONTROLLING WORKPLACE EXPOSURES AT UC IRVINE ANIMAL

SURGERY LOCATIONS
A. INTRODUCTION
Waste anesthetic gases (WAG) are unused anesthetics that have a potential to unintentionall e!pose
researchers i" not properl controlled. #!posure to $aste anesthetic gases (WAG) causes %oth short and
long&ter' health e""ects as descri%ed in anesthetic speci"ic (aterial )a"et Data )heets (()D)).
I" ou %elieve occupational e!posure to $aste anesthetic gases is occurring* or $ould li+e an evaluation o"
our WAG control set&up* please contact ca'pus #,-) "or assistance* ./0&1/22.
This docu'ent provides guidance "or controlling $or+place e!posure to WAG in veterinar settings using
engineering and $or+ practices. )ee General Wor+place Controls "or additional in"or'ation as $ell as
ad'inistrative controls that appl to controlling WAG.
These guidelines are not a ne$ standard or regulation. The are advisor in nature* in"or'ational in
content* and intended "or use % e'ploees to provide a sa"e and health"ul ani'al research environ'ent.
The guidelines are not 'eant to co'pro'ise sa"e anesthetic practices that protect research su%3ects.
4. )OURC#) O5 WA)T# AN#)T,#TIC GA)#) (WAG)
6. 7ea+s "ro' gas suppl lines and connections.
/. 7ea+s $ithin the anesthesia 'achine and %reathing )ste'.
8. 7ea+s %et$een su%3ect and "ace'as+.
0. 7ea+s "ro' around the tracheal tu%ing.
9. )pills o" li:uid anesthetics.
C. ;#T#RINAR< )=#CI5IC WOR>=7AC# CONTRO7)
This section descri%es engineering and $or+ practice controls speci"ic to veterinar clinics and hospitals.
#ngineering and $or+ practices suita%le "or other environ'ents $here anesthetics are ad'inistered are
provided in )ection 5 o" the O),A Waste Anesthetic )a"et and ,ealth Topic docu'ent.
Inhalation anesthesia in veterinar hospitals is practiced in a 'anner si'ilar to that in hu'an hospitals.
Generall* ani'als are initiall given an in3ecta%le anesthetic* "ollo$ed % general anesthesia 'aintained
% an inhalation techni:ue. In ani'al anesthesia* there are "ive %asic 'ethods % $hich inhalation
anesthetics are ad'inistered? open&insu""lation* se'iopen $ithout nonre%reathing valves* se'iopen $ith
nonre%reathing valves* se'iclosed* and closed. 5igure 6 illustrates a circle %reathing sste'. O!gen and
anesthetic are transported to the ani'al@s lungs "ro' the anesthesia 'achine through a "ace 'as+ or
tracheal tu%e. An in"lata%le cu"" on the distal end o" the tracheal tu%e "acilitates a seal $ith the inner $all
o" the trachea.
A. O!gen source 5. <&=iece connecting inspirator
4. =ressure reducing valve And e!pirator hoses
C. 5lo$ 'eter G. #!pirator valve
D. ;aporiAer ,. Reservoir %ag
#. Inspirator valve I. Car%on dio!ide a%sor%er
B. =op&o"" valve
5igure 6. Circle %reathing sste' used "or veterinar anesthesia. (Reproduced
% per'ission o" A'erican Industrial ,giene Association* 5air"a!* ;irginia).
Unidirectional valves allo$ "lo$ "ro' the vaporiAer to the ani'al upon inspiration and route the e!haled
gases through a car%on dio!ide a%sor%er during e!piration. ,igh "resh&gas "lo$s are tpicall used $ith all
techni:ues e!cept closed&sste' %reathing circuits. During e!piration* e!cess or $aste gas e!its the
%reathing circuit at the ad3usta%le pressure&li'iting (A=7) or pop&o"" valve and escapes into the roo'
unless it is appropriatel scavenged.
Controlled re%reathing sste's used "or ver s'all ani'als allo$ e!haled gases to %e i''ediatel
e!pelled "ro' the sste' into the roo' air. 4ecause these sste's do not include a car%on dio!ide
a%sor%er* greater "resh&gas "lo$s are re:uired to ensure re'oval o" car%on dio!ide "ro' the sste'. A
higher "resh&gas "lo$ 'a lead to an increase in a'%ient $aste gas levels.
6. #ngineering Controls
=lacing the surgical "ield inside a chemical !me h""# is argua%l the easiest 'ethod to control
e!posure to $aste anesthetic gases. ,o$ever* this approach is not al$as "easi%le* and
scavenging and $aste gas disposal sste's 'ust %e put into place.
The %asic principles o" scavenging used to capture e!cess anesthetic gases in hospital surgical
suites are appropriate "or application in veterinar anesthesia. ()ee )cavenging )ste's "or
ela%oration on these sste's.)
A scavenging nasal 'as+ consists o" a co'pact dou%le 'as+ sste'. It 'ust consist o" a shroud
large enough to capture e!haustedCescaping nitrous o!ide e!iting "ro' a 'outh. An inner 'as+ is
contained $ithin a slightl larger outer 'as+ and a slight vacuu' is present in the space %et$een
the 'as+s.
The ad3usta%le pressure&li'iting valve (A=7) or pop&o"" valve is connected to the scavenging
inter"ace valve. A $aste gas reservoir %ag is attached to the inter"ace valve and collects e!cess
anesthetic gases.
In general* the "inal disposal point "or volatile WAG generated in a veterinar "acilit can %e an
one o" the "ollo$ing?
Tu%ing placed inside single&pass (non&recirculating) ventilation sste'D
Tu%ing "ro' vacuu' sste' e!hausted to a single&pass (non&recirculating)
ventilation sste'D
dedicated %lo$er Ee!haustF sste' installed over anesthesia "ieldD
"or halogenated co'pounds* disposal tu%ing connected to adsor%er trap.
)ee #!haust (ethods "or 'ore ela%oration. A vacuu' source* i" present* is connected to the
inter"ace valve and $aste gas reservoir %ag* $here gas is stored until the vacuu' can 'ove it to
the outside air. The vacuu' scavenges gases e!haled as $ell as an e!cess gas "ro' the
anesthesia 'achine that could lea+ "ro' around the edges o" the inner and outer 'as+s. I" onl
halogenated co'pounds are used* an activated charcoal adsorption sste' can %e used.
/. Wor+ =ractices
The "ollo$ing are reco''ended $or+ practices "or reducing gas lea+age?
=er"or' a sste' chec+out prior to use. Re"er to the 6GG8 5ood and Drug
Ad'inistration (5DA) Anesthesia Apparatus Chec+out Reco''endations docu'ent "or ideas on
developing one suita%le "or our e:uip'ent.
(a+e sure that $aste gas disposal lines are connected.
Avoid turning on N/O or a vaporiAer until the circuit is connected to the ani'al.
)$itch o"" the N/O and vaporiAer $hen not in use. (aintain o!gen "lo$ until the scavenging
sste' is "lushed.
)elect the opti'al siAe tracheal tu%e "or the ani'al and 'a+e sure the cu""* i"
present* is ade:uatel in"lated. Delivering a positive&pressure %reath $hile the A=7 or pop&o""
valve is closed and listening "or a lea+ originating "ro' around the tracheal tu%e cu"" 'a evaluate
ade:uac o" cu"" in"lation.
Occlude the <&piece i" the %reathing circuit 'ust %e disconnected during surger.
Once anesthesia is discontinued* e'pt the %reathing %ag into the scavenging
sste' rather than into the roo'. Releasing anesthetic gases into the OR could signi"icantl
increase the overall $aste gas concentration $ithin the roo'.
At the end o" the surgical procedure* continue to ad'inister non&anesthetic
gasesCagents as long as clinicall necessar* using high o!gen "lo$ rates through the %reathing
circuit to $ash the anesthetic gases out o" the sste' and the ani'al. This allo$s e!haled
anesthetic gases to %e collected % the scavenging sste'.
It is possi%le to close an anesthetic circle and reduce "resh&gas "lo$ rates. In a
circle sste' $here o!gen is the onl carrier gas* the a'ount o" "resh gas "lo$ing to the ani'al
should %e ad3usted to closel 'atch the ani'al@s 'eta%olic o!gen re:uire'ent.
)elect 'as+s to suit various siAes and %reeds encountered in veterinar practice.
When a 'as+ is used "or induction or 'aintenance o" anesthesia* use a 'as+ that properl "its
the contour o" the ani'al@s "ace to 'ini'iAe gas lea+age. (ini'iAe the ti'e o" 'as+ anesthesia
to reduce $aste.
Use a %o! "or induction o" anesthesia in s'all* uncooperative ani'als. As $ith
the 'as+ techni:ue* the induction %o! 'ethod re:uires high gas&"lo$ rates* $ith su%stantial
anesthetic spillage. (ethods to 'ini'iAe this spillage include tight seals on the %o! and
place'ent o" the %o! in a che'ical "u'e hood or near the ventilation port o" a $ell&ventilated
roo'. The %o! can also %e connected to an anesthetic gas&scavenging sste' to evacuate the
gases in the %o! prior to re'oving the ani'al.
(a+e certain that the reservoir %ag* used to store e!cess anesthetic $aste gas
until the vacuu' sste' can re'ove it* is ade:uate to contain all scavenged gas. This reservoir
%ag is especiall designed to connect to anesthetic gas&speci"ic "ittings.
D. C7#AN&U= AND DI)=O)A7 O5 7IHUID AN#)T,#TIC AG#NT )=I77)
)'all volu'es o" li:uid anesthetic agents such as halothane* en"lurane* iso"lurane* des"lurane* and
sevo"lurane evaporate readil at nor'al roo' te'peratures* and 'a dissipate %e"ore an atte'pts to
clean up or collect the li:uid are initiated.
Incidental releases o" li:uid anesthetic agents $here the su%stance can %e a%sor%ed* neutraliAed* or
other$ise controlled at the ti'e o" release can %e per"or'ed % e'ploees in the i''ediate release area.
,o$ever* $hen large spills occur* such as $hen one or 'ore %ottles o" a li:uid agent %rea+* speci"ic
cleaning and contain'ent procedures are necessar and appropriate disposal is re:uired. #vacuate the
i''ediate area and contact #,-).
4ecause o" the volatilit o" li:uid anesthetics* rapid re'oval % suctioning is the pre"erred 'ethod "or
cleaning up spills. I" a%sor%ed* the $aste 'aterial should %e placed in a container* tightl sealed* properl
la%eled* and disposed o" $ith other che'ical $astes through #,-). The reco''endations o" the
che'ical 'anu"acturer@s 'aterial sa"et data sheet (()D)) that identi" e!posure reduction techni:ues
"or spills and e'ergencies should %e "ollo$ed.
#'pt anesthetic %ottles are not considered regulated $aste and 'a %e discarded $ith ordinar trash or
reccled.
To 'ini'iAe e!posure to $aste li:uid anesthetic agents during clean&up and disposal* the "ollo$ing
general guidelines are reco''ended % the 'anu"acturers o" li:uid anesthetic agents?
Wear appropriate personal protective e:uip'ent as indicated on ()D). )ee )ection # o"
General Wor+place Controls "or Waste Anesthetic Gases.
Where possi%le* ventilate area o" spill or lea+. Appropriate respirators should %e $orn.
Restrict persons not $earing protective e:uip'ent "ro' areas o" spills or lea+s until clean&up is
co'plete.
Collect the li:uid spilled and the a%sor%ent 'aterials used to contain a spill in a glass or plastic
container. Tightl cap and seal the container and re'ove it "ro' the anesthetiAing location. 7a%el
the container clearl to indicate its contents.
Trans"er the sealed containers to the $aste disposal co'pan that handles and hauls $aste
'aterials.
,ealth&care "acilities that o$n or operate 'edical $aste incinerators 'a dispose o" $aste
anesthetics % using an appropriate incineration 'ethod a"ter veri"ing that individual incineration
operating per'its allo$ %urning o" anesthetic agents at each site.
#. (AT#RIA7 )A5#T< DATA ),##T) (()D)) 5OR AN#)T,#TIC)
Up&to&date (aterial )a"et Data )heets (()D)) "or anesthetics are availa%le at http?CC$$$.uc'sds.co'C.
()D)s provide in"or'ation on the haAard* e!posure control and e'ergenc procedures "or $or+ing $ith
anesthetics.
5. OT,#R R#)OURC#)
Control o" Waste Anesthetic Gases in the Wor+place* A'erican College o" ;eterinar Anesthesiologists.
)a"et - ,ealth Topic? Waste Anesthetic Gases* O),A.
Waste Anesthetic Gases* ;eteran@s Ad'inistration.
Waste Anesthetic Gases* Canadian Centre "or Occupational ,ealth - )a"et.
#!haust (ethods* UCI.
General Wor+place Control (ethods "or Waste Anesthetic Gases* UCI.
)cavenging )ste's* UCI.
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