UNIVERSAL/STANDARD PRECAUTIONS BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS

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UNIVERSAL/STANDARD PRECAUTIONSBLOODBORNE
PATHOGENS

• Michigan Department of Community Health
• Bureau of Laboratories

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What is Universal Precautions?

• OSHAs required method of control to protect
  employees from exposure to all human blood and
  other potentially infectious materials.

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• Observing Universal Precautions means you
  consider all human blood and certain human fluids
  infectious for all bloodborne pathogens.

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Universal Precautions (continued)

• Perform all tasks using safe work practices
• Use appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Use engineering controls

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Most Common Route of Exposure

• Sharps
• Lancets
• Broken Glass
• Needles

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The bloodborne pathogens that pose the most
serious health risks

• Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
• Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

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Bloodborne Pathogens (continued)

• Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all
  health care workers
• No FDA approved vaccine exists to prevent HCV or
  HIV infection

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Who is at risk for sharps injury?

• Workers performing fingersticks
• Lab workers
• Housekeepers/janitorial staff
• Medical waste contractor

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Work practices that increase the risk of a sharps
injury

• Recapping needles
• Transferring a body fluid between containers
• Opening blood tubes
• Failing to dispose of used sharps properly in a
  puncture-proof sharps container

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How can you I protect myself from occupational
exposure to blood and sharps injuries?

• Assume all blood and body fluids to be infectious
  
• Always use safe work practices, required PPE, and
  safety devices
• Do not eat, drink or apply cosmetics in the work
  area
• Avoid the use of needles and lancets if safe and
  effective alternatives are available

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Protect Yourself (continued)

• Help your employer select and evaluate devices
  with safety features that reduce the risk of
  sharps injuries
• Use devices with safety features provided by your
  employer
• Plan for safe handling and disposal of any sharps
  and other infectious waste before using them

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Protect Yourself (continued)

• Promptly dispose of used sharps in appropriate
  sharps disposal containers
• Report all occupational exposures promptly to
  ensure that you receive appropriate follow-up
  care
• Tell your employer about real or potential
  hazards you observe
• Participate in training related to infection
  prevention
• Get a Hepatitis B vaccination

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Safe Work Habits for HIV Testing Providers

• Use disposal gloves and change gloves after
  contact with each client
• Wash hands and other skin surfaces immediately
  and thoroughly if contaminated with blood
• Place contaminated sharps after use in a sharps
  container

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Safe Work Habits (continued)

• Place all contaminated waste in an appropriately
  labeled container and transport in a leak proof,
  puncture-proof outer container
• Disinfect all work surfaces and items before and
  after testing with 10 bleach solution or EPA
  approved disinfect

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Handling Occupational Exposures

• Employee should immediately report the expose to
  a supervisor
• Immediately wash skin with soap and water
• Apply first aid to the wound

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Occupational Exposure (continued)

• Use Occupational Health Service for immediate
  treatment and counseling (Employee may decline
  treatment but must sign a wavier)
• Collect a baseline serum
• Source blood tested for HIV/HBV/HCV

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Occupational Exposure (continued)

• Written Investigation of exposure
• Record on sharps injury log and MIOSHA form 300

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Record Keeping Requirements

• Written Exposure Control Plan for Bloodborne
  Pathogens
• Review Safe Needle Devices Annually
• Sharps injury Log
• MIOSHA Form 300
• MIOSHA Form 300A

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References

• Bloodborne infectious Diseases, MIOSHA, Part 553,
  R 325.70001-R 325.70018 www.michigan.gov/mioshast
  andards
• www.michigan.gov/mdchlab
• Clinical Laboratory Safety Approved Guidelines
  Second Edition, CLSI, GP17-A2