Blood borne Pathogens in the School Setting

1
Blood borne Pathogens in the School Setting
SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2
Who is Affected?

• Occupational exposure - results from doing ones
  job
• JOB CLASSIFICATIONS
• Coaches
• Special Ed Teachers
• Custodians
• Health Assistants
• Paraprofessionals
• Phys Ed Staff
• Bus Drivers
• Potentially infectious materials
• Blood
• Urine, vomit, or other body fluids
• Especially when blood is present

3
Epidemiology symptoms of blood borne diseases

• Blood borne pathogens
• Infectious organisms present in human blood that
  cause disease
• - Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
• Symptoms fatigue, stomach pain, loss of
  appetite, nausea
• Acute Hepatitis, Chronic Carriers, or Unaffected
• Not easily killed outside body, can survive up to
  7 days in dried blood
• Vaccine Preventable

4
Epidemiology symptoms of blood borne diseases
(contd)

• - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Attacks immune system
• Not vaccine preventable
• Virus is killed easily outside the body
• Symptoms weakness, fever, nausea, sore throat,
  can lead to AIDS.
• - Hepatitis C
• May be asymptomatic for 20-30 years
• Symptoms Include fatigue, weight loss, nausea,
  darkened urine, jaundice, stomach pain
• No vaccine
• 75-85 with positive test develop chronic
  hepatitis-----gt liver disease

5
WHAT IS A BBP EXPOSURE?

• The Infectious body fluid must enter the
  bloodstream to cause infection.
• It can enter through these routes
• Eyes
• Mouth
• Mucous membrane
• Non-intact skin
• Piercing of skin or mucous membranes (bites,
  needle stick)

6
When can Exposure Occur?

• First aid situations
• Accidents or injuries in
• sports, on playground,
• in shops, or in health
• offices.
• Other workplace situations
• Body Fluid or Blood cleanup
• Broken Science glassware
• Handling Sharps
• Dealing with violent behavior

7
What Can I Do to Protect Myself?

• Take advantage of Hepatitis B Vaccination
• Before performing clean up or providing first aid
  PUT ON GLOVES! Always think of yourself first.
• When administering first aid, instruct injured
  person in self-management
• Always practice universal precautions
• Clean-up involving blood requires special
  procedures
• Most Important - Wash your Hands!!!

8
Handwashing is Important!

• Locations
• Portable facilities
• Sanitized Hand Wipes

9
How Should Contaminated Items be Disposed Of?

• Regulated vs. Non-regulated Waste
• Materials saturated to the point of dripping
  blood or including body tissue or parts.
• Most of the waste generated in a school is
  non-regulated waste and can be placed in regular
  trash

10
Disposal Continued

• Place contaminated gloves and absorbent material
  in a bag and place in lined trash container.
• Do not place red Biohazard bags in regular
  trash.
• Follow proper sanitization procedures for
  contaminated surfaces or objects.

11
Disposal Continued

• Sharps Containers
• Located in each Health Office
• For contaminated sharps such as needles, razor
  blades, glass
• Regulated Waste, must be properly disposed of as
  Biohazard Waste.

12
Hepatitis B Vaccine

• Available free of charge
• Prevention - for employees who have risk of
  occupational exposure.
• Employees eligible for the vaccine are Special
  Education Teachers, Coaches, Custodians, Health
  Assistants, Paraprofessionals, PE Staff.

13
Hepatitis B Vaccine

• Hepatitis B Vaccine A series of three shots
  taking a total of 6 months to complete
• Employees refusing the vaccine must sign a
  declination form

14
Exposure incident response

• Potential exposure incidents involving
  fluid-to-fluid contact
• Eyes, mouth, mucous membranes
• non-intact skin
• parenteral contact (puncture, bite)
• Flush the exposed area with water immediately
• Report the incident to your supervisor and/or
  District Nurse!

15
BBP Summary

• Implementing a Successful BBP Program includes
  all of the following
• Written Program
• Annual Employee Training
• Hepatitis B vaccination
• Record keeping
• Engineering and work practice controls
• Personal protective equipment
• Housekeeping, cleaning schedule
• Procedures for evaluating an exposure incident
• Post-exposure evaluation and follow-up

16
The End

• Questions?
• Contact Elen Stark _at_ x1167