Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan   

Appendix D      

ICPH 

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E.C.P.

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App A

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App C

Quiz

Avoiding Exposure/ Universal Precautions

Purpose:  The most effective way to protect employees from occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens is through avoidance.  Accordingly, all human body fluids shall be considered to be potentially infectious.  All employees who must handle contaminated material or work in situations presenting a potential of exposure shall use universal precautions to avoid exposure.  The following measures must be taken:

Where a potential for bloodborne pathogen (BBP) exposure exists, Offices and Departments shall implement the following engineering and work practice controls:

• Provide readily available handwashing facilities, OR antiseptic cleanser and clean cloth/paper towels, OR antiseptic towelettes.

•  Provide readily available sharps containers and tools with which to handle sharps.  The container must be puncture resistant, leak proof on sides and bottom, must have a lid or top which can be securely closed, and must be red or have a biohazard label.

• Provide readily available personal protective equipment, including at a minimum: gloves, eye protection, face shields, resuscitation shields and outerwear.

• Ensure proper procedures to properly clean or dispose of contaminated personal protective equipment are followed.

• Ensure any other equipment needed is provided and any other procedures needed are implemented to prevent employee exposure.

Employees shall adhere to the following established work practices to avoid exposure:

• Use the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when cleaning up contaminated areas or objects, OR providing health care or first aid where contact with body fluids could occur, OR picking up and/or disposing of contaminated objects.

• Gloves must be worn if it can reasonably be anticipated the employee could come into hand contact with human blood or body fluids.

• Masks, face shields or other eye and face protection must be worn when, if it can reasonably be anticipated, the employee’s mouth, nose or eyes could come into contact with human blood or body fluids through splashes, spraying or splattering of a potentially infectious material.

•  Gowns, aprons or other protection appropriate to the situation must be worn when body contact with an infectious material can be anticipated.

• Surgical caps or hoods and shoe covers shall be worn when gross contamination can be reasonably expected such as during autopsies.

• Remove contaminated PPE when task is completed and before leaving the work area and decontaminate or dispose of it properly.  Practice appropriate personal hygiene.

Handle sharps appropriately.

• Wear appropriate gloves

• Use tools rather than hands whenever possible.  Pick up contaminated tools by the handle, not by the cutting edge or sharp end.

• Have sharps container readily available at the place the sharp is handled.  Bring the container to the sharp, not the sharp to the container.

• Contaminated broken glass shall not be picked up with hands.  Use tongs or dustpans or other tools for picking up.  Dispose of such trash in an appropriate and properly labeled container and dispose of properly.

• DO NOT eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics or handle contact lenses where body fluids are or could be present.

• DO NOT store food or drink near body fluids or contaminated objects.

Office and Departments Will Maintain Good Housekeeping and Dispose of Bio-waste Properly.

• Contaminated surface shall be decontaminated with an appropriate disinfectant as soon as feasible following an overt contamination.

• All surfaces that can be reasonably expected to become contaminated shall be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis.

• Wear gloves when handling contaminated laundry, handle s little as possible, and bag at point where used.  Use a red or biohazard labeled bag and double bag if exterior of bag gets contaminated.  Do NOT sort or rinse where it was used.

• All regulated waste must be packaged in leak proof, labeled containers and the containers must be closed prior to transport.  Double containment is required if external contamination occurs.  Regulated waste includes:

• Liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious material.

• Materials saturated with blood or other potentially infectious material

• Items caked with dried blood or other potentially infectious material.

• Contaminated sharps

• Pathological or microbiological wastes containing blood or other potentially infectious material.

• Biohazard storage areas, including freezers and refrigerators, must be labeled with the biohazard symbol.

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