DE HB173

Requires hospitals and freestanding surgical centers to adopt and implement policies mandating the use of smoke evacuation systems during surgical procedures likely to generate surgical smoke

Defines "surgical smoke" as gaseous byproducts from energy-generating devices, including surgical plume, bio-aerosols, laser-generated airborne contaminants, and lung-damaging dust

Mandates smoke evacuation systems must effectively capture and filter surgical smoke at the point of origin before it contacts the eyes or respiratory tract of room occupants

Establishes a compliance deadline of April 1, 2026 for health care employers to implement these policies

Adds new Chapter 93B to Title 16 of the Delaware Code specifically addressing surgical smoke evacuation requirements