Potential Hazards in the Operating Room:Proposed Guidelines for safety

The need for a safe environment is national, community, and individual concern.Safety and welfare of patients and personnel are of the primary consideration in every health care setting. Additionally, safety issues are of the main concern in the operating room OR setting.The hospital environment is a source of possible safety hazards, however, the OR presents an environment that is potentially hazardous to both the patient and the personnel who work there.Potential hazards in the OR can be physical, chemical, and biological. Injuries associated with these hazards can affect all body system and it can lead to death. Because of the many hazards in the OR environment neither patient nor OR personnel are completely free from risks, however, it is possible to create a safe environment and minimize potential hazards identified if safe practices established.