BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS

Blood and other potentially infectious materials should be dealt with immediately. Workers should assume that the spill is infectious with HIV, HBV or other bloodborne pathogens.

Procedure for Spills

  • Put on single use or re-usable gloves

  • Smaller spills can be blotted with paper and placed in a bio - hazard bag for disposal

  • For spills larger than 100ml add TB effective disinfectant to the spill and allow it to sit before blotting. Again, place materials in a biohazard bag and dispose according to government regulations

  • To disinfect the area after a small spill, spray with a TB effective disinfectant and allow at least 10 minutes of contact time. Surface should air dry

  • For large spills, mop the area with a TB effective disinfectant and allow at least 10 minutes of contact time. Remove excess solution with a mop and bucket and discard solution using hot water. Allow surface to air dry and launder mop heads

  • If disposable gloves are used, remove and place in biohazard bag. Wash hands immediately using anti-bacterial soap

  • If using reusable gloves, wash with anti-bacterial hand soap with the gloves on. If visibly contaminated, drop in a germicide solution before removal

  • Complete spill area clean up with normal cleaning procedures; i.e.: mop/bucket/autoscrubber, using a disinfectant solution

HIV UPDATE AND INFO

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Once infected with HIV, a person can live for years before developing AIDS. HIV gradually weakens the immune system and individuals with HIV are considered to have AIDS when severe immunosuppression develops.

Transmission

HIV is mainly transmitted in three ways:

  • Sexual contact

  • Exposure to infected blood/blood components

  • perinatally from mother to child

Precautions

  • Health care workers should wear gloves and gowns when dealing with any patient

  • Avoid blood/body fluids of all patients

  • OSHA (United States) has issued the blood-borne pathogen standard, whereby employers must provide employees with a training program on safe practices and protective equipment when occupational exposure is a reasonable expectation. Canada has similar standards

Description of Body Fluids

  • Blood and blood components

  • Body fluids containing visible blood

  • Semen

  • Vaginal secretion

  • Any unsecured human tissue or organ

  • Cerebrospinal fluid

  • synovial fluid

  • Pleural fluid

  • Peritoneal fluid

  • Amniotic fluid

  • Saliva

Treatment/Action to be taken

  • If in contact with body fluids, use a sterile solution for eyes, nose or mouth

  • If in contact with skin, where there are no lesions, it is not considered to be an exposure incident. Wash the area with soap and water

  • If a persons' blood or bodily fluids comes into contact with an open sore on the skin, wash area with soap and water.

  • Report the exposure to your employee health services section if:

  1. You come in contact with a persons' blood/body fluids (other than splashes on intact skin)

  2. This results in HIV/HBV discussion and documents the exposure for later compensation

  3. Include date and time of exposure

  4. Identify job description or task being performed at the time of the incident

  5. Provide a detailed description of the incident, the method of exposure, duration and type of body fluid

  6. Identify the source of the exposure and patients' history

  7. Practice decontamination procedures

  8. HIV testing should never be performed without counselling

In conclusion, take the usual precautions, report any incident of exposure and contact the health services office in your area for detailed information on HIV/HBV and AIDS exposure and patients' history