NIOSH researchers visited a number of prisons and jails to learn more about current practices and procedures being used to protect health care workers from bloodborne diseases. This poster is meant to be informative and reinforce how frontline health care workers can protect themselves from exposures to bloodborne diseases.
How can a correctional health care worker be exposed to bloodborne pathogens on the job?
- Needlesticks or cuts from used needles or sharps.
- Contact of your eyes, nose, mouth, or broken skin with blood.
- Assaults – bites, cuts, or knife wounds.
- Splashes or punctures – especially when drawing blood.
How can you protect yourself?
- Get the hepatitis B vaccine.
- Read and understand your employer’s Exposure Control Plan.
- Dispose of used sharps promptly into an appropriate sharps disposal container.
- Use sharps devices with safety features whenever possible.
- Use personal protective equipment [PPE], such as gloves and face shields, every time there is a potential for exposure to blood or body fluids.
- Clean work surfaces with germicidal products.
What should you do if you’re exposed?
- Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water.
- Flush splashes to nose, mouth, or skin with water.
- Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile wash.
- Report all exposures promptly to ensure that you receive appropriate followup care.
Bloodborne Pathogen Exposurepdf icon [PDF – 266 KB]
OSHA states, “According to the concept of Universal Precautions, all human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens.” Universal
precautions include vigorously washing hands before and after exposure to blood and other body fluids. Healthcare providers should also always wear gloves, masks, goggles, other personal protective equipment [PPE] and use work practice controls to limit exposure to potential
bloodborne pathogens.
What are Bloodborne Pathogens?
Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms present in human blood that can cause disease in humans. Bloodborne pathogens are spread primarily through:
- Direct contact. Blood or body fluid from an infected person enters the body of another person.
- Indirect contact. An object that contains the blood or body fluid of an infected person touches the skin of another person.
- Respiratory droplet transmission. A person inhales droplets from an infected person, such as through a sneeze or cough.
There are several different types of diseases that can result from bloodborne pathogen exposure, with the greatest risk being HIV and Hepatitis B and C, yet not limiting other disease risks, including:
- Hepatitis A
- Staph and Strep infections
- Gastroenteritis-salmonella and shigella
- Pneumonia
- Syphilis
- TB
- Malaria
- Measles
- Chicken pox
- Herpes
- Urinary tract infections [UTI]
- Blood infections
OSHA | Universal Precautions Help Prevent Infection?
If you have ever been to the doctor or dentist you have probably noticed them wearing gloves, goggles, masks, and other personal protective equipment [PPE] while examining every patient. Wearing PPE significantly reduces the transmission of bloodborne pathogens by creating a barrier between germs and the human body.
In correlation with universal precautions, OSHA has compiled a set of regulations known as the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard that requires employers to:
- Establish an exposure control plan. An exposure control plan contains a list of job classifications in which workers have occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, as well as a list of procedures performed by those workers that result in their bloodborne pathogen exposure. An organization’s exposure control plan must be updated annually.
- Implement the use of universal precautions. As mentioned above, all health care workers must treat all potentially infectious materials as if they are infected.
- Provide personal protective equipment [PPE]. PPE includes gloves, gowns, eye protection, and masks.
- Provide hepatitis B vaccinations to workers with occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens. The vaccination must be offered within 10 days of initial assignment to a job with occupational exposure.
- Provide a post-exposure evaluation to any worker who experiences an exposure incident. This evaluation must be at no cost to the worker.
For Professional Infection Control, Call Aftermath
Although universal precautions most commonly affect those working in health care, anyone can become exposed to potentially dangerous biological material at any time.
“We are typically called in for blood cleaning and trauma situations, such as industrial accidents, homicide/suicide, active shooter [mass trauma], medical situations such as gastrointestinal bleeding, and transportation accidents. All we do is blood cleanup and biohazard removal.
Unlike a typical general purpose cleaning company or carpet cleaning company, we approach biohazard remediation and cleaning blood spills with a full scientific process to prevent the spread of germs and fully remediate all potential bloodborne pathogens and visible blood stains from the property.”
You can learn more about Aftermath and our services.
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Sources:
OSHA: //www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/hazards/univprec/univ.html
OSHA: //www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/safetyhealth/comp3.html
Testimonials
"Zach was compassionate, professional, caring and easy to work with, yet clear with what he needed to do and conscious of safety. His crew were equally caring and professional."
Peggy H. - Chicago, IL
"Aftermath was very professional and completed the work in a timely and efficient manner. I would recommend them to future clients because of my experience with the professional work done during this stressful time. Good job, Jennifer. "
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"Aftermath team made a very hard event much easier. Without them, I do not know how I would have made it through this. Corry went above and beyond my expectations. She was much more than the lead and for that I am more than thankful."
Christopher R. - Tallahassee, FL
"My father passed away and was left unattended for a few days with His two dogs in the house. We called aftermath on a recommendation from the local police department. John and his team were so helpful, thoughtful and professional throughout this difficult process. They even helped us load my father’s Harley into our trailer because we didn’t have a ramp. John stood with us while his team worked and let us reminisce about our father with him. The team went through everything in the house and saved everything that they could for us. During this incredibly difficult time for us, they put our minds at ease knowing that they would take care of cleaning the house completely and thoroughly. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, john and team. "
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"Jason and Ryan went above and beyond any expectations in my time of grief. They are professional, courteous and experts in their field of work. They performed all work quickly and professionally. I would highly recommend this company and these men to anyone. "
Erin R. - Ashville, NC
"Aftermath was very professional and was able to accommodate the urgency in the situation. They explained the services and was able to relieve my worries as they dealt with the insurance company. Other companies were unable to take the job or handle the job with efficiency to get the ball moving. Since I was needing the job done in a small window of time."
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