Monoplace Delivery System

Monthly Hyperbaric Safety Notice: January 2008

Alcohol Prep Pads in the Hyperbaric Oxygen Setting

Background

We all know that alcohol is extremely flammable especially in our elevated oxygen environment. Not surprisingly, therefore, NFPA 99 20.3.1.5.2 forbids flammable gases and liquids such as alcohol in hyperbaric chambers.

The Issue

As a matter of convenience and for infection control purposes, health care providers typically grab for an alcohol prep pad when preparing an IV catheter hub for connection or cleansing a finger tip for a blood glucose check. This will occur outside of the monoplace chamber, but for patients in the multiplace chamber setting, finger sticks and IV access may be necessary during the treatment.

A potential risk exists in both the multiplace and monoplace hyperbaric settings, if such alcohol pads are used, then misplaced within a patient’s HBO garments and/or linens prior to entering the chamber.

Employing benzalkonium chloride (BZK) towelettes is a safer practice in the hyperbaric oxygen setting. It will still help prevent infection while not heightening the risk of fire.

The MSDS for BZK cites a flash point of >200°F with no unusual fire and explosion hazards, while the highly flammable alcohol pad has a dangerously low flashpoint of 71°F.

Bottom Line

In order to ensure NFPA compliance, the hyperbaric oxygen service should replace alcohol prep pads with antiseptic BZK pads for patient care in order to avoid accidental entry of flammable alcohol into the hyperbaric chamber.

This product may also be employed for routine hand hygiene by those working within the multiplace chamber.

See MSDS.

Stacy Handley, RN, BSN, ACHRN, CWCN

Stacy Handley Stacy is Vice President of National Baromedical Services. She assumed her present position following several years as nurse manager of the NBS hyperbaric medicine service at Memorial Hospital, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Stacy oversees the patient care aspects of the NBS network, conducts quality assurance and compliance assessments and preceptors all new NBS nurse managers. Additional responsibilities include marketing and promotion of NBS service lines and generation of monthly safety notices. Stacy is Member at Large for the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Associates and a board member for the Baromedical Nurses Association. She has trained as a Hyperbaric Safety Director and a UHMS faculty accreditation surveyor, and is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina ‘Wound Care Specialty Course’ through which she obtained her wound care certification

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