Stephen Misfud
As the health and safety rep for his operating theatre, Stephen Mifsud was approached by a nurse who complained of headaches and nausea after breathing in diathermy smoke during a laparoscopy.
Stephen decided to investigate the issue, eventually completing a 38-page literature review. He concluded that diathermy smoke/plume could be harmful and classified as a biological and chemical hazard.
After presenting his findings to his nurse unit manager, the hospital initiated welcome changes – including equipment and education – around the safe management of diathermy smoke/plume evacuation. Buoyed by his success, in 2019 Stephen presented the issue as a motion at the ANMF Delegates Conference.
His motion called for the Branch ‘to immediately urge the Victorian Government to make mandatory, in operating rooms and health establishments throughout Victoria, the complete evacuation of cautery-created (diathermy and laser) smoke’. It was passed.
‘I received overwhelming applause and was later met by staff who congratulated me on presenting the issue which they felt was far overdue.’
In March 2020 the Branch established a Surgical Plume Project comprising HSRs (including Stephen), Job Reps and WorkSafe Victoria.
WorkSafe listened to the Reps’ concerns, and worked with them to develop guidance around surgical plume, including definitions, technical requirements for evacuation systems and requirements for staff information and training. This guidance is available on the WorkSafe website.
The Branch also developed a Prevention of Exposure to Harmful Substances policy.
‘The change I commenced in 2017 in my theatre suite was profound,’ Stephen says, though he would like to see the guidelines ultimately enshrined in law. ‘There is still more work to do to ensure all workplaces in Victoria remain adequately evacuated (diathermy/plume) smoke-free environments.’
