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UW medical personnel, facilities staff, researchers and students in health sciences programs are at risk for exposure to bloodborne pathogens through a needlestick, sharps injury or mucous membrane exposure. EH&S provides resources and recommendations for treatment and follow-up care following a bloodborne pathogen exposure. What to do after a bloodborne pathogen exposure or needlestick/sharps injuryIf you experienced a needlestick or sharps injury, or were exposed to the blood or other body fluid of another person during the course of your work or training, immediately follow these steps:
*If you are not at a UW site, go to the employee health clinic associated with the clinical or practicum site, or to the nearest hospital emergency department. The health care provider will need:
Insurance and billing for health sciences studentsMore InformationContactUW Employee Health Center Contact(206) 685-1026
Chemical Compliance Bloodborne Pathogens StandardExposure Control Plan Hendrix College - September 2018The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, codified at 29 CFR § 1910.1030, was promulgated by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This standard applies to employers with a history of employee exposure or those who can reasonably anticipate that one or more of their employees, as part of their job duties, will have exposure to human blood or other potentially infectious body fluids (including cleaning and disposing of any wastes generated during an incident). The implementation of this bloodborne pathogens policy is intended to reduce or eliminate employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens and comply with the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. This standard in no way extends an employee's liability to treat an injury or provide first aid to a fellow employee or student. It simply outlines safety procedures to be followed in the event that a situation in which exposure to potentially infectious body fluids is encountered during the course of an employee’s duties as defined by their job description. The bloodborne pathogens standard requires employers to develop and implement a written exposure control plan that is designed to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens. This exposure control plan must contain methods of implementation for each element of the standard. It must be made available to employees, OSHA, and NIOSH upon request. The exposure control plan must be reviewed and updated annually. Failure to comply with this OSHA standard can result in penalties for each citation. Exposure Determination The Hendrix College employees affected by this standard are outlined below.
Only the college’s Director of Student Health and athletic trainers are designated to render first aid as part of their primary job assignment. No other employees have first-aid, first-responder or emergency medical treatment responsibilities. Methods of Compliance OSHA requires that this plan include methods of implementation for the various requirements of the standard. The employer must take appropriate preventative measures against an exposure incident which is defined by the OSHA standard as specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, non-intact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or OPIM. At Hendrix College these include the following controls to reduce or eliminate such exposure. General "Universal Precautions": Universal body substance avoidance precautions must be observed to prevent contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. Practicing universal precautions involves handling all blood and body fluids as though they were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV). All blood or OPIM will be considered infectious regardless of the perceived status of the source individual. Engineering Controls Engineering controls are those controls that remove the hazard or isolate the employee from exposure. The following controls shall be used to eliminate or minimize employee exposure. Where occupational exposure remains after institution of these controls, personal protective equipment (PPE) shall also be used. These are designed for small incidents where soap and water, disinfectant cleaners, gloves and isolation materials may not be readily available. PPE kits and replacement items are available for all employees through the Chemical Compliance Office and can be found in Reynolds Hall, room 216. Hendrix College provides hand washing facilities which are readily accessible to employees. OSHA requires that these facilities be readily accessible after incurring exposure. If hand washing facilities are not readily available, the employer is required to provide either an antiseptic cleanser in conjunction with a clean cloth/paper towel or antiseptic towlettes. If these alternatives are used the hands are to be washed with soap and running water as soon as feasible. Work Practice Controls Work practice controls are policies, procedures and techniques which reduce the likelihood of exposure through the alteration of the manner in which the task is performed. Disposable (single-use) latex gloves shall be worn whenever it can reasonably be anticipated that the employee may have mucous membrane, non-intact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. Hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners, powderless gloves, or other similar alternatives must be provided to those employees who are allergic to the gloves normally provided. Gloves must be removed prior to leaving the immediate work area and must be replaced as soon as practical when they become contaminated or as soon as feasible if they are torn, punctured, or when their ability to function as a barrier is compromised. They are not to be reused. If any PPE is contaminated with blood or OPIM they shall be disposed of in a closable, leak proof container for disposal in a lined waste container that protects other employees from direct physical contact. Hands must be washed immediately or as soon as feasible after removal of gloves. Employees must wash hands and any other potentially contaminated skin area with soap and water, or flush mucous membranes with water immediately or as soon as feasible following contact of such body areas with blood or other potentially infectious materials. All garments which are penetrated by blood shall be removed immediately or as soon as feasible and should be contained or isolated in a manner that protects other employees from direct physical contact. Cleaning Contaminated Surfaces All equipment and working surfaces shall be cleaned and decontaminated after contact with blood or OPIM. Small amounts of blood or other potentially infectious materials can be removed with an absorbent towel. Contaminated surfaces shall be decontaminated with an appropriate disinfectant. Larger amounts of blood or OPIM may require methods employed by the housekeeping staff which include the use of protective gloves and disinfectants (see Appendix B). Surfaces within food preparation areas may be decontaminated with a 10%-50% solution of household bleach. Broken glassware or other sharps such as hypodermic needles which may be contaminated shall not be picked up directly with the hands. They shall be cleaned up using mechanical means, such as a brush and dust pan, tongs, or forceps. Contaminated sharps shall be discarded immediately or as soon as feasible in a sharps container specified for such disposal. Hepatitis B Vaccine
Reporting Procedures For Exposure Incidents Following all incidents or events where an employee has during the course of assigned job duties had an actual exposure incident as defined by the standard, a report must be made to the employee's direct supervisor. All reports will be forwarded to and maintained by the Chemical Compliance Director (Shelly Bradley, 450-3812)
Medical Evaluation and Follow-up of Exposure Incidents Following the determination of an exposure incident, Hendrix College shall make immediately available to the exposed employee a confidential medical evaluation and follow-up including at least the following elements:
Hendrix College shall ensure that the healthcare professional evaluating an employee after an exposure incident is provided the following information:
The employer shall obtain and provide the employee with a copy of the evaluating healthcare professional's written opinion within 15 days of the completion of the evaluation. The healthcare professional's written opinion for hepatitis B vaccination shall be limited to whether hepatitis B vaccination is indicated for an employee, and if the employee has received such vaccination. The healthcare professional's written opinion for post-exposure evaluation and follow-up shall be limited to an indication that the employee has been informed of the results of the evaluation and that the employee has been told about any medical conditions resulting from exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials which require further evaluation or treatment. All other findings or diagnoses shall remain confidential and shall not be included in the written report. Communication of Hazards to Employees The employer shall ensure that all employees with occupational exposure participate in a training program which must be provided at no cost to the employee and during working hours. Training shall be provided at the time of initial employment and at least annually thereafter. Annual training for all employees shall be provided within one year of their previous training. Employers shall provide additional training when changes such as modification of tasks or procedures or institution of new tasks or procedures affect the employee's occupational exposure. The additional training may be limited to addressing the new exposures created. Material appropriate in content and vocabulary to educational level, literacy, and language of employees shall be used. The training program shall contain at a minimum the following elements:
Employee Records Hendrix College shall establish and maintain an accurate record for each employee with an actual exposure incident. This record shall include:
Hendrix College shall ensure that employee medical records are kept confidential and are not disclosed or reported without the employee's express written consent to any person within or outside the workplace except as required by this standard or as may be required by law. Employee medical records required by this section shall be provided upon request for examination and copying to the subject employee, to anyone having written consent of the subject employee, to the Director, and to the Assistant Secretary. Hendrix College shall maintain the records for at least the duration of employment plus 30 years Training records shall include the following information:
Training records shall be maintained for three years from the date on which the training occurred. Employee training records required by this section shall be made available upon request for examination and copying to employees, to employee representatives, to the Director, and to the Assistant Secretary. Hendrix College shall comply with the requirements involving transfer of records set forth in 29 CFR § 1910.1020(h). If Hendrix College ceases to do business and there is no successor employer to receive and retain the records for the prescribed period, it shall notify the Director, at least three months prior to their disposal and transmit them to the Director, if required by the Director to do so, within that three-month period. References: Literature used to prepare this bloodborne pathogens policy. Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations Volume 29, section 1910.1030. Laboratory Health and Safety. R. Scott Stricoff and Douglas B. Walters, 2nd edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY 1995. Bloodborne Pathogens in the Workplace, Robert J. Morris and Mark Upfal, Genium Publishing Corporation, Schenectady, NY, 1994. Bloodborne Pathogens Standard: OSHA Between the Lines, Ian Moar, Compliance Magazine, March 1996, pp. 6-9. Bloodborne Pathogens: A Risk Management Prospective, Michael D. Leggett, Network News, Volume 7, No. 3, December 1993, pp. 1-9. What should an employee do after exposure to blood or blood containing materials?If you are stuck by a needle or other sharp or get blood or other potentially infectious materials in your eyes, nose, mouth, or on broken skin, immediately flood the exposed area with water and clean any wound with soap and water or a skin disinfectant if available.
What should be done first after an exposure incident?What is the first step after an exposure incident? After an exposure incident occurs, the area should be washed or flushed with soap and water or a saline solution. Skin can be washed with warm water and soap, whereas the eyes, nose, or mouth can be flushed or splashed with water or a saline solution.
What should you do if you have been potentially exposed to bloodborne pathogens OSHA?OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) requires employers to make immediate confidential medical evaluation and follow-up available for workers who have an exposure incident, such as a needlestick.
When the healthcare worker exposes a patient to a bloodborne pathogen he or she must?All patients and health care workers who have been potentially exposed to bloodborne pathogens should be strongly counseled to seek testing so they may benefit from medical management. Health care workers should also seek screening for bloodborne diseases per CDC recommendations as part of their own health care.
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