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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
Following the issue of an occupational safety and health alert last week on Nitrous Oxide (N2O) exposure, the Hospital Authority (HA) established an Expert Advisory Group (see annex) which met for the first time last Friday (August 24) to review the recent incident of possible excess occupational exposure at Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH).
The multi-disciplinary Expert Advisory Group comprises experts in Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Anaesthesia, Toxicology, Nursing, Occupational Medicine, Engineering, as well as and senior managers in Human Resources and Quality & Safety.
The HA Head of Human Resources and convenor of the Group, Dr Derrick Au, said today (August 28) that an in-depth review of the PWH incident will be conducted alongside N2O sampling results in other O&G units to deliberate and advise further on the risk assessment approach, monitoring and control measures with regard to N2O exposure of public hospital staff in the clinical environment.
For risk assessment, a quick ambient N2O sampling has been conducted with the assistance of Electrical & Mechanical Services Department in the past week in the other seven O&G units, namely Queen Mary Hospital (QMH), Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH), Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH), Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), United Christian Hospital (UCH), Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) and Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH). There are several initial observations:
- Significant variation in N2O concentration across different O&G units and across different work locations in the same unit.
- Factors contributing to the significant variation across O&G units and work sites were likely local and could be related to ventilation, room setting, patient loads and proper use of N2O facial mask.
- The N2O sampling readings taken in the labour wards of PMH were generally on the high side.
Dr Au pointed out that while the readings of the quick N2O assessment were not conclusive, HA had immediately suspended the use of N2O in the O&G unit of PMH as safety precaution.
"PMH will further look into the improvement measures to better control and monitor N2O exposure in the O&G unit."
"The Expert Advisory Group recommended a second-round assessment using dual N2O measurements of real-time ambient sampling and personal sampling in three O&G units, namely QEH, KWH and UCH which had moderately elevated readings in the first round quick assessment," he added.
PWH and PMH will participate in the dual N2O assessments when the use of N2O in their O&G wards resume upon completion of the improvement measures.
The Group will subsequently deliberate on further monitoring and control measures based on the findings of the dual N2O assessments.
Regarding follow-up for the staff concerned, medical consultation will be provided to staff members upon their request. So far, 16 PWH staff members have attended the medical examinations and there has not been any abnormal report.
Dr Au remarked that HA will continue to monitor the situation closely and work with Cluster Occupational Safety & Health teams in subsequent follow-up actions.
Ends/Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:06
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