NY A09974

Requires all general hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities to adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke using airborne contaminant evacuation systems for each procedure that generates surgical smoke.

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

Defines "airborne contaminant evacuation system" as smoke evacuation equipment designed to capture, filter, and remove surgical smoke at the site of origin before contact with eyes or respiratory tracts.

Exempts facilities that do not perform procedures generating surgical smoke from the requirement.

Takes effect 180 days after becoming law; Commissioner of Health authorized to adopt regulations and take necessary actions for implementation effective immediately.