RADFORD UNIVERSITY
BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN STANDARD
SAFETY GUIDELINES
Body Fluids: The Standard is designed to protect you from blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) such as semen, vaginal secretions, saliva in dental procedures, body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood, and body fluids in which it is difficult to distinguish between types. In addition, medical personnel may be exposed to OPIM such as cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, pericardial, peritoneal, and amniotic fluids. The Standard does not apply to urine, feces, sweat, tears, vomit, or saliva, unless visible blood is present.
Universal Precautions : Follow universal precautions when performing any task that could result in exposure to blood or OPIM. Universal precautions assumes that all blood and OPIM is infectious and requires the use of barrier controls to prevent contact with body fluids.
Training: Employees exposed to blood or OPIM as part of their job duties must be trained by a “knowledgeable person”. Training must be provided at the time of initial assignment and at least annually thereafter.
Engineering Controls: Use engineering controls to eliminate or minimize exposure to blood or OPIM. Engineering controls isolate or remove the hazard from the worker. Examples of engineering controls include handwashing facilities, sharps disposal containers, infectious waste containers, self-sheathing needles, and needleless systems.
Personal Hygiene: Do not eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics, handle contact lenses, or store food or drinks in areas where exposure to bloodborne pathogens is possible. HIV, HBV and HCV can easily cross the mucous membranes in your eyes, nose or mouth. Wash your hands as soon as possible after contact with blood or OPIM.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Wear appropriate PPE such as gloves, eye protection, gowns, masks, to prevent expos ure to blood and other potentially infectious body fluids. Always wash hands after removing PPE. Do not take protective equipment home. The university will supply, repair, launder, replace, and dispose of PPE equipment at no cost to employees.Use a mouthpiece or face shield when performing CPR.
Gloves:Use disposable vinyl, latex or nitrile gloves when hand contact with potentially infectious fluids is possible. Gloves must be worn when drawing blood. Replace gloves as soon as possible when contaminated, torn, or punctured. Change gloves between patient contact. Do not wash or decontaminate gloves. Wash hands immediately after removing gloves. If water is not available, use an antiseptic towelette. Wear rubber utility gloves when cleaning surfaces contaminated with potentially infectious fluids. Utility gloves may be washed and disinfected for re-use but must be discarded if punctured or torn.
Labels: La bel all containers of contaminated waste, laundry, refrigerators and freezers, and other containers used to store blood and OPIM with the biohazard label. Red plastic bags may be used instead of labels if all employees understand the meaning of the color code. Individual small containers don't have to be labeled if a larger outer container is properly labeled.
Infectious Waste: Dispose of liquid waste in the sanitary sewer system. Waste materials that are saturated or gro
ssly caked with blood that could be easily released must be disposed of as infectious waste. Place these materials in a leakproof red plastic bag. Do not throw red bags in the regular trash. Contact supervision or the Safety Office for proper disposal. Small quantities of items not saturated with blood such as Band-Aids, may be disposed of in the regular trash. Discarded feminine hygiene products are exempted from infectious waste regulations.
Sharps: Dispose of needles, scalpel blades, and other sharp items in a puncture resistant sharps container labeled with the Biohazard label. Ensure that the container is easily accessible to workers. Proper containers are available from the Safety Office. Do not use beverage containers, etc. Dispose as infectious regulated waste. Never throw sharps in the regular trash. Do not recap, bend, cut, break, or remove needles from syringes. Keep a neeedle-stick log to record injuries from contaminated sharps.
Safer Medical Devices: Evaluate annually and implement the use of safer medical devices such as self-sheathing needles if appropriate. Solicit input from non-managerial employees who have direct patient care. Keep documentation of this evaluation. It is ok to use regular syringes when drawing medications from vials.
Blood Spills: Use the following procedures to clean up blood spills:
Housekeeping: Clean and disinfect all equipment and work surfaces after completing procedures involving exposure to blood or OPIM. Use a hospital disinfectant that is tuberculocidal or a freshly prepared 1:10 dilution of household bleach. Use mechanical means, such as a brush and dustpan, to pick up broken glassware
Contaminated Laundry: Handle contaminated laundry as little as possible. Wear gloves as a minimum. If gross contamination is present, wear a gown and eye protection also. Place contaminated clothing in a red plastic bag or a plastic bag labeled with a biohazard label. Contaminated clothing should be laundered on-site by properly trained personnel or picked up by a commercial laundry service. Washing at a public Laundromat is allowed but not encouraged. Dry cleaning is acceptable. Do not take contaminated laundry home.
Hepatitis B Vaccine: Employees exposed to blood or OPIM should receive a vaccination for hepatitis B. The vaccination is offered at no cost to employees. Employees may refuse the vaccination but can change their minds at a latter date. If you refuse the vaccine you must sign the OSHA Declination Form. The vaccine consists of three shots given over a six months period. You must receive training and be approved by the Safety Office before you can receive the vaccine. Additional information about the vaccine can be found at faq about HBV.
Antibody Testing: Post vaccination testing for antibody titer will be given to health care workers who may be exposed to sharp instruments or needle sticks. Antibody titer will be determined 1-2 months after the completion of the vaccination series.
If you’re exposed: Immediately wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water. Flush splashes to the eye, nose, mouth, or skin with water for about 10 minutes if you’re exposed to blood or OPIM. Using antiseptics or squeezing the wound will not reduce the chance of infection. Do not use bleach on the skin.
Exposure Incident: Report all exposure incidents to supervision immediately. For employees with primary duties that may expose them to blood, an exposure incident is a contaminated needle stick or cut, blood splash to eyes, mouth, nose, or to non-intact skin. For employees with secondary duties (e.g., first aid duties secondary to teaching) that may expose them to blood, an exposure incident is defined as any exposure to blood.
Post-Exposure Evaluation: Employees will be given a confidential medical evaluation and follow up by a physician. HIV, HBV and HCV status of the source patient and exposed employee will be determined, if possible. Employees will be notified within 15 days of the results of the evaluation.