● Provide showers and eyewash stations if splashing is likely. ● Provide medical surveillance for all workers exposed to formaldehyde at concentrations at or above the action Recordkeeping requirements Employers are required to do the following regarding worker exposure records: ● Retain exposure records for 30 years. ● Retain medical records for 30 years after employment ends.
level or exceeding the STEL, for those who develop signs and symptoms of overexposure, and for all workers exposed to formaldehyde in emergencies.
● Allow access to medical and exposure records to current and former workers or their designated representatives upon request. For more information on this and other health-related issues affecting workers, visit OSHA’s website at http://www.osha. gov. characteristics of the product and the condition of the remains. ● Take precautions in the preparation room to limit formaldehyde exposure and emissions during routine embalming. ● Observe special precautions to limit formaldehyde exposure and emissions when embalming organ procurement cases and autopsied remains. ● Be familiar with and follow federal, state, and local environmental, OSHA, and health requirements when embalming is performed. Various environmental, OSHA, and health requirements apply when an embalming is performed. Often, product selection will govern the application of these requirements. Periodically review and reevaluate the products used in the preparation of the remains. Know the components of the products and the requirements that these components make applicable. Determine whether your locality has a mechanical code or other requirements that apply to ventilation systems. negative pressure within the preparation room relative to adjacent spaces in the funeral home. ● The number and locations of supply diffusers and exhaust grilles should be adequate to direct a sufficient amount of air across the preparation table(s) so that formaldehyde vapors are transported away from and out of the embalmer's breathing zone. ● Installation of an LEV device, designed to serve the preparation table(s), will control formaldehyde at its source and enhance the effective operation of a general ventilation system. The design, installation, maintenance, and alteration of the preparation room ventilation system should always be in consultation with an HVAC professional to ensure the system is functioning effectively to reduce formaldehyde exposure to the greatest extent possible. 3. Evaluate recommendations: Evaluate the expert's recommendations to determine the actions to take that will provide the greatest short-term and long-term benefits. 4. Make simple changes in the ventilation system: Simple changes in the ventilation system can often result in major improvements. Examples of changes include resizing the exhaust fan and relocating and resizing the exhaust grille so that it is adjacent to the embalming table(s) near the floor.
NFDA Formaldehyde Best Management Practices, 2012 The Formaldehyde Best Management Practices is a working document. It may be updated or modified as important new information about formaldehyde becomes available. The following information is a summary of the best practice guidelines and subsections. It is important to review this document in its entirety on the NFDA website (NFDA, 2012a).
Preparation room ventilation is the single most important factor in reducing health risks associated with formaldehyde exposure. Make sure that the ventilation system in your funeral home's preparation room is properly designed and operating effectively. An effective ventilation system ensures that as much formaldehyde as possible is drawn away from the embalmer's breathing zone. Consult an HVAC professional to assess and maintain the ventilation system as well as the heating and cooling needs of the work area. The NFDA provides the following guidelines: ● Ensure adequate and effective ventilation in the preparation room. ● Select and use the proper embalming product while considering the environmental, health, and safety. This study reached a number of conclusions of critical importance to funeral directors. Several of the key findings are summarized below (NFDA, 2010). The report concludes that a ventilation system that is designed, operated, and maintained to meet the criteria in the study can be effective in removing formaldehyde vapors from the breathing zone of the embalmer in the preparation room and in lowering overall levels of formaldehyde. The NFDA criteria are as follows: ● The ventilation system should be a dedicated nonrecirculation system. ● As a general proposition, the minimum air change rate for the preparation room should be no less than 15 air changes per hour. ● The ventilation system should exhaust more air from the space than it supplies to the space to create a slightly
Formaldehyde Vapor Reduction in the Funeral Home Preparation Room: NFDA Recommendations for Effective Preparation Room Ventilation, 2010
NFDA Five-Step Guide for Effective Preparation Room Ventilation An essential preliminary step for a funeral home is to assemble all information about the current preparation room ventilation system (NFDA, 2010): 1. Complete the Formaldehyde Ventilation Assessment: NFDA members may download the Funeral Home Preparation Room Formaldehyde Ventilation Assessment from the NFDA website. 2. Complete expert HVAC consultation: The NFDA
strongly recommends the periodic reevaluation of the preparation room ventilation system by an expert HVAC consultant.
Page 45
Book Code: FMA0825
EliteLearning.com/Funeral
Powered by FlippingBook