Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs

13.2 Equipment
Equipment used in receiving and storage areas should, where
possible, be designed to minimize potential exposure to hazardous
drugs. Examples include:
••
Storage shelves with fall guards, such as lipped edges or barriers
••
Containers with lids for storage and transport of hazardous drugs
••
Equipment that can accommodate special storage requirements,
such as a refrigerator for drugs that require cooler temperatures
13.3 Guidelines for safe work practice
Best practices to eliminate and minimize the risk to hazardous drugs
during receiving and storage include:
••
Having incoming shipments checked for damage before any
container is opened
••
Implementing a procedure to clean containers before they are
moved to storage, such as wiping the exterior with a single-use
disposable absorbent pad and a detergent and water solution
••
Limiting access to the storage area and using signs to indicate
restricted entry to authorized personnel only
••
Storing hazardous drugs inside their original packaging (for
example, resealable bags or shrink wrap)
••
Ensuring storage containers are not overfilled
13.4 Personal protective equipment (PPE)
In the Regulation
PPE that is consistent
with the ECP must be
used where cytotoxic
drugs are present.
See section 6.55 of
the Regulation.
PPE must be consistent with the worker’s potential exposure and
may include:
••
Chemotherapy-tested gloves
••
A chemotherapy-tested gown
••
An approved and fit-tested respirator, if handling damaged
packages containing hazardous drugs
Refer to Appendix 4 for further details on PPE.
Best Practices for the Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs 31