2017 -- S 0643 | |
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LC002149 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - LICENSING OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES | |
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Introduced By: Senators Coyne, Miller, Seveney, Calkin, and DiPalma | |
Date Introduced: March 29, 2017 | |
Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Chapter 23-17 of the General Laws entitled "Licensing of Health-Care |
2 | Facilities" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
3 | 23-17-49.1. Workplace and patient safety - evacuation of surgical smoke plume |
4 | required in operating rooms. |
5 | (a) As used in this section, the following definitions shall apply: |
6 | (1) "Smoke evacuation system" means smoke evacuators, laser plume evacuators, plume |
7 | scavengers, and local exhaust ventilators that capture and neutralize plume at the site of origin |
8 | and before plume can make ocular contact or contact with the respiratory tract of employees. |
9 | (2) "Surgical smoke" means the by-product of use of energy-generating devices including |
10 | surgical plume, smoke plume, bio-aerosols, laser-generated airborne contaminants, and lung- |
11 | damaging dust. |
12 | (b) In order to protect patient and health workers from the hazards of surgical smoke, |
13 | each hospital and freestanding ambulatory surgical facility licensed in the state of Rhode Island |
14 | pursuant to this chapter shall adopt policies to ensure the elimination of surgical smoke by use of |
15 | a smoke evacuation system for each procedure that generates surgical smoke. |
16 | (c) The department of health shall not issue or renew a license of any applicant or license |
17 | holder as a hospital or freestanding ambulatory surgical center unless the applicant is in |
18 | compliance with this section. |
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1 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - LICENSING OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES | |
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1 | This act would require all hospitals and freestanding ambulatory surgical facilities |
2 | licensed in this state to adopt policies to use a smoke evacuation system for surgical procedures |
3 | that generate surgical smoke. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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