floor-based lifts is
being recognized. Ms.
Boynton says lower-
tech limb holders,
while effective, are so
heavy that just getting
them in and out of the
OR presents an injury
risk of their own. Lifts
in the OR assist with
limb prep, limb hold-
ing and patient trans-
fers. Ceiling-mounted
OR lifts are even bet-
ter — floor-mounted lifts can present a tripping hazard and are struc-
tures that need to be worked around — and being installed in an
increasing number of facilities.
Radiation safety
The Joint Commission is putting a heightened focus on annual inspec-
tions of radiation safety items: lead aprons, drapes, and skirts; safety
glasses; and mobile barriers, according to Mike Bohan, radiation safe-
ty officer at Yale New Haven Hospitals in Connecticut. "To make sure
all the equipment is safe, inspect them visually and tactilely once a
year," he says.
Flatten the aprons, drapes and skirts out on a table and inspect
the seams to make sure they're tight. Look to see that there are no
tears on the outer surfaces and run your hands over the items to
make sure the lead inside isn't lumping. Make sure the Velcro straps
are in good working order. Glasses, overhead glass shields and
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 9 7
• WORK ZONE Cords, tubing and fluids combine to increase risks of trips, slips and
falls in a busy operating room.
