What is the containment primary engineering control (C-PEC) used for?

The containment primary engineering control (C-PEC) is designed specifically to protect personnel from exposure to hazardous drugs. This is critical in the context of sterile compounding, where certain medications, especially chemotherapeutics and other hazardous substances, pose significant risks to healthcare workers handling them. The C-PEC achieves this through the use of specialized equipment, such as compounding aseptic containment isolators and biological safety cabinets, which create controlled environments that mitigate the risk of airborne exposure, contain drug particles, and ensure safety during the preparation of hazardous drugs.

In addition to personnel safety, the C-PEC also plays a crucial role in maintaining sterility and ensuring compliance with established safety standards in compounding environments. The focus on personnel protection emphasizes the importance of proper engineering controls in mitigating health risks associated with handling hazardous materials in a clinical setting.