Health care worker decompression sickness: incidence, risk and mitigation

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Hyperbaric Medicine
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Healthcare settings present various hazards, including radiation, chemical, and biological agents.
• Decompression sickness (DCS) is an underappreciated occupational risk for inside attendants (IAs) during hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
• Unlike other healthcare hazards, IA exposure to DCS risk is unavoidable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase awareness of decompression sickness in hyperbaric oxygen therapy attendants.
• To review reported cases of DCS in IAs and analyze individual worker risk.
• To propose mitigation strategies and identify risk factors for developing screening standards.

Main Methods:

• Review of reported cases of decompression sickness in hyperbaric inside attendants.
• Analysis of incidence rates versus individual worker cumulative risk.
• Summary of current mitigation strategies.

Main Results:

• While overall DCS incidence in IAs is low, the cumulative risk to individual workers is significant.
• DCS can lead to permanent, career-ending consequences, with fatalities reported.
• Current awareness and risk assessment for IA DCS are insufficient.

Conclusions:

• Hyperbaric attendant decompression sickness is a serious occupational hazard requiring greater attention.
• Effective mitigation strategies and standardized screening are needed to protect IAs.
• Further research into risk factors is essential for developing preventative measures.