Prevention Guide - Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs - Irsst

4. GENERAL PREVENTIVE MEASURES
4.1.5 Identification and Safety RATING: +++
Ensure safe storage and transfer of hazardous drugs at every step of the medication circuit.
RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1.5.1 Access to the Pharmacy Department must be restricted, at all times, to pharmacy workers.
4.1.5.2 Access to floor reserves and areas on care units where hazardous drugs are kept should be
limited to the caregiving staff.
4.1.5.3 Antineoplastic drugs and their waste must be properly identified with the symbol
described in CSA standard Z317.10, i.e., the symbol capital "C" and, under it, the words
"CYTOTOXIC – CYTOTOXIQUE" in capital letters (Figure 2). Both the words and the
symbol must appear on a dark grey rectangle. This logo is used for the antineoplastic
hazardous drugs listed in Appendix 2 of this guide.
FIGURE 2
"Cytotoxic" Hazard Symbol
4.1.5.4 Other hazardous drugs (which are not antineoplastic agents) should bear a warning or a
"CAUTION" label. There is currently no recognized symbol for identifying other
hazardous drugs which are not antineoplastic agents (and therefore, cytotoxic).
Committees in both the United States and Canada are working on such a symbol. In
Canada, the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), which will eventually replace the
WHMIS, should cover hazardous drugs and establish symbols based on the effects of
products. It will not be in use, however, until 2008-2010. While the term "Caution" is
general and does not refer solely to the recommendations in this guide, the Committee
members have decided not to create another identification symbol while awaiting a
decision from regulatory authorities. (++)
APES, p. 5-37 ♦ ASHP, p. 1175-76 ♦ CS. p. 65 ♦ CSA, Z317.10-01, Section 9.1.2 ♦
CSHP, Section 4.3 ♦ NIOSH, p. 12 ♦ ONS, p. 23 ♦ OPQ, Section 4.5 ♦ OSHA, Section Vc6
4-4 ASSTSAS PREVENTION GUIDE – SAFE HANDLING OF HAZARDOUS DRUGS