Risk Assessment and Control
- Develop a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Policy and Procedure
- Print Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Poster
- Review Safe Work Practices
- Determine Emergency Washing Requirements
- Understand if You Need an Exposure Control Plan
Biological, Chemical, and Radiation Hazards
Biological, chemical, and radiation hazards can harm staff. Physician employers must assess these hazards and take steps to eliminate or reduce the risks to ensure staff health and safety.
Biological Hazards
Biological hazards are substances (biohazards) that include bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and other microorganisms that cause disease, as well as biological toxins.
Chemical Hazards
Chemical hazards include disinfectants and cleaning agents, such as bleach or alcohol; laboratory reagents, such as iodine or dyes; and pharmaceuticals, such as cytotoxic drugs or vaccines.
Radiation Hazards
Radiation hazards are both ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing radiation comes from machines such as X-ray machines, CT scanners, and mammograms. Non-ionizing radiation includes MRI, infrared, ultrasound, radiofrequency, and laser.
Biological and Chemical Hazard Requirements
WorkSafeBC has specific regulations regarding biological and chemical hazards to ensure the safety and health of staff who may be exposed to these substances.
If a worker is, or may be, exposed to chemical or biological agents that could cause an adverse health effect, employers must:
- Have written plans in place to deal with spills, releases, or other emergencies.
- Prepare and use written procedures to eliminate or reduce risks.
- Ensure workers are trained in and follow safe handling, use, storage, disposal, and emergency procedures.
Develop a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Policy and Procedure
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is vital for protecting clinic staff from exposure to workplace hazards such as infectious diseases, chemicals, and physical injuries. To keep staff safe, every clinic should have a PPE program. Employers must identify workplace risks and train staff on how to choose, use, care for, and maintain PPE correctly.
Create your clinic PPE program with the policy and procedure template and printable factsheet to instruct clinic staff on how to use and maintain PPE correctly.
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
Hazardous materials are products that can cause injury, illness, fires, or explosions.
In medical clinics, common hazardous materials include oxygen cylinders, liquid nitrogen, cleaning and disinfecting products, antiseptics, fire extinguishers, and specimen preservatives.
If hazardous products are used, stored, or handled in the clinic, the employer must establish and maintain an effective Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) program.
Print Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Poster
- Ensure all hazardous products have a supplier label.
- Keep a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every hazardous material in the clinic and make it easy for workers to access those documents. Update each SDS every three years.
- Inform staff about the risks of products used in their workplace.
- Develop procedures to minimize risk and ensure the safe use, storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous products.
- Train all staff who handle or may be exposed to hazardous products, regardless of the amount. Free WHMIS training is available provincewide. See the Additional Resources section below.
Here’s a quick visual reminder of WHMIS symbols, their meanings, and associated health risks. Please post it in your clinic to support and protect staff.
Review Safe Work Practices
Click on the accordion titles below to review safe work practices for liquid nitrogen, compressed gas, and urine.
Liquid Nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen is a common hazardous chemical stored and used in medical clinics. If a worker may be exposed to a harmful chemical agent (such as liquid nitrogen), the employer must implement written procedures to minimize risk and manage spills.
Use the template below to customize your plan. Print and share the poster below in areas where liquid nitrogen is handled for quick reference.
Compressed Gas
Compressed gases, such as oxygen, are another common type of hazardous chemical found in medical clinics. Where these compressed gases are present, employers must ensure that employees understand the risks and are trained to work with them safely.
Clinics can use the template below to develop procedures to support and protect staff.
Urine Dipstick Analysis
Determine Emergency Washing Requirements
Emergency washing facilities must be available in work areas where workers’ eyes or skin may be exposed to harmful, corrosive, or irritating materials.
| Hazard Level | Definition | Clinic Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Very Hazardous Materials | Materials classified as Corrosive to Metal, Skin Corrosion/Irritation (Category 1), Serious Eye Damage/Irritation (Category 1), Acute Toxicity (Categories 1 and 2), and Specific Target Organ Toxicity - Single Exposure (Category 1). |
|
| Moderately Hazardous Materials | Materials classified as Acute Toxicity (Category 3), Serious Eye Damage/Irritation (Categories 2 and 2A), and Specific Target Organ Toxicity — Single Exposure (Category 2). |
|
| Low Hazardous Materials | Materials that may irritate skin or eyes due to physical, as opposed to their chemical, nature (e.g., particulates generated from grinding). | N/A |
Understand if You Need an Exposure Control Plan (ECP)
An Exposure Control Plan (ECP) is a documented strategy that outlines procedures to minimize workers’ exposure to hazardous materials or conditions in the workplace. When an ECP is required, employers must inform workers about the plan, provide training, and review and update it annually.
Exposure Control Plan for Biological Hazards
Clinic staff may be exposed to biological hazards that can cause illness. These include bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and toxins.
WorkSafeBC classifies these as hazardous biological substances (biohazards).
Employers must:
- Offer the hepatitis B vaccine to workers at risk of exposure to blood or body fluids.
- Provide safety-engineered needles and require them to be used when clinically appropriate.
- Make sure workers get medical assessment and support after exposure to blood or body fluids, such as a needlestick injury.
Staff with an accidental exposure should be assessed by a health professional for possible infection and given counselling or treatment if needed.
If medical clinic staff may be exposed to biohazards, the employer must develop and implement an Exposure Control Plan for Biological Hazards. Clinics can use the template below.
Exposure Control Plan for Ionizing Radiation
WorkSafeBC has regulations to protect workers from exposure to both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.
If staff might be exposed to ionizing radiation (e.g., X-ray machine, CT scanner, mammogram) above 1 milliSievert (mSv) per year, the employer must:
- Create and implement an Exposure Control Plan (ECP).
- Make safe handling instructions accessible to workers in the work area or near the equipment.
- Ensure workers’ exposure is kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).
- Provide the worker with a personal dosimeter and ensure its proper use.
- Inform staff about potential reproductive risks.
- Conduct radiation surveys according to acceptable standards or applicable safety codes and keep the records for at least 10 years.
Equipment producing ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, or ultrasonic energy, must be installed, operated, and maintained according to acceptable standards.
For non-ionizing radiation (e.g., MRI, infrared, ultrasound, radiofrequency, laser), the employer must ensure exposure remains within the recommended limits. See the Additional Resources section below for WorkSafeBC’s recommended standards.
Create and implement an Exposure Control Plan for Ionizing Radiation using the template below.
Chemical Hazards
Some chemicals used in medical clinics are classified as hazardous substances and have occupational exposure limits (e.g., formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, glutaraldehyde). If workers are or may be overexposed to these chemicals (exposure above 50% of their occupational exposure limits), the employer must also develop and implement an ECP.
For more information, see WorkSafeBC’s Table of exposure limits for chemical and biological substances.
Hazardous Drugs
A hazardous drug is one that may cause cancer, birth defects, gene damage, problems with reproduction, or damage to organs even at low doses.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) identifies which drugs are considered hazardous. See the NIOSH list for more information.
If staff are, or may be, exposed to a hazardous drug the employer must:
- Create a list of all hazardous drugs in the workplace and make the list accessible to staff.
- Ensure a qualified person prepares a written risk assessment.
- Have a qualified person develop an Exposure Control Plan (ECP).
The Additional Resources section below includes WorkSafeBC’s Safe Work Practices for Handling Hazardous Drugs.
