(a) As used in this section the following definitions shall apply:
(1) “Antineoplastic drug” means a chemotherapeutic agent that controls or kills cancer cells.
(2) “NIOSH” means the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
(b) The board shall adopt an occupational safety and health standard for the handling of antineoplastic drugs in health care facilities regardless of the setting. In developing the standard, the board shall consider input from hospitals, practicing physicians from impacted specialties, including oncology, organizations representing health care personnel, including registered nurses and pharmacists, and other stakeholders, and shall determine a reasonable time for facilities to implement new requirements imposed by the adopted standard. The standard, to the extent feasible, shall be consistent with and not exceed recommendations in the NIOSH 2004 alert entitled “Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Health Care Settings,” as updated in 2010. The standard may incorporate applicable updates and changes to NIOSH guidelines.
(Added by Stats. 2013, Ch. 678, Sec. 2. (AB 1202) Effective January 1, 2014.)