TY - JOUR T1 - Development of a bar code-based exposure assessment method to evaluate occupational exposure to disinfectants and cleaning products: a pilot study JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine JO - Occup Environ Med DO - 10.1136/oemed-2017-104793 SP - oemed-2017-104793 AU - Catherine Quinot AU - Sylvie Amsellem-Dubourget AU - Sofia Temam AU - Etienne Sevin AU - Christine Barreto AU - Arzu Tackin AU - Jérémy Félicité AU - Sarah Lyon-Caen AU - Valérie Siroux AU - Raphaële Girard AU - Alexis Descatha AU - Nicole Le Moual AU - Orianne Dumas Y1 - 2018/05/14 UR - http://oem.bmj.com/content/early/2018/05/14/oemed-2017-104793.abstract N2 - Objective Healthcare workers are highly exposed to various types of disinfectants and cleaning products. Assessment of exposure to these products remains a challenge. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of a method, based on a smartphone application and bar codes, to improve occupational exposure assessment among hospital/cleaning workers in epidemiological studies.Methods A database of disinfectants and cleaning products used in French hospitals, including their names, bar codes and composition, was developed using several sources: ProdHyBase (a database of disinfectants managed by hospital hygiene experts), and specific regulatory agencies and industrial websites. A smartphone application has been created to scan bar codes of products and fill a short questionnaire. The application was tested in a French hospital. The ease of use and the ability to record information through this new approach were estimated.Results The method was tested in a French hospital (7 units, 14 participants). Through the application, 126 records (one record referred to one product entered by one participant/unit) were registered, majority of which were liquids (55.5%) or sprays (23.8%); 20.6% were used to clean surfaces and 15.9% to clean toilets. Workers used mostly products with alcohol and quaternary ammonium compounds (>90% with weekly use), followed by hypochlorite bleach and hydrogen peroxide (28.6%). For most records, information was available on the name (93.7%) and bar code (77.0%). Information on product compounds was available for all products and recorded in the database.Conclusion This innovative and easy-to-use method could help to improve the assessment of occupational exposure to disinfectants/cleaning products in epidemiological studies. ER -