Definition
Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms present in blood,
which cause disease in humans.
Bloodborne Pathogen
Standard
In 1991, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
wrote a broad public health measure, the bloodborne pathogens Standards. Its
goal is to minimize or prevent workers’ contact with blood or contaminated
instruments in the workplace.
In the workplace, where exposure is not the result of
personal choice in behaviour, but of an accident or an employee’s unwitting
contact with blood or body fluids.
Public health measured against the Hepatitis B Virus
(HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). These viruses are spread by the
same mode, the primary measures in the Standard concern:
·
The control of behaviour and advice the use of
condoms during sexual activity.
·
The avoidance of sexual contact with multiple
partners.
·
The avoidance of intravenous (I.V) drug abuse
Universal precautions is the name for procedures that
isolate infected persons and materials from uninfected, healthy persons.
OSHA’s blood borne Pathogen Standard assumes that all
human blood and body fluids and tissues are potentially infectious with HIV,
HBV and other blood borne pathogens such as Syphilis and Gonorrhoea.
The Standard specifies that all precautions should be
taken to prevent contact with human blood or body fluids or contaminated
instruments and materials.
Universal precautions prevent exposure to blood by use
of the devices and procedures listed below:
Hand washing is one of the most affective protective
practices against the spread of disease. The three components in effectives
hand washing are soap, running water and friction.
Friction by
rubbing hands together for at least 10 seconds is the most important. Wash your
hands as soon as possible after exposure to a potentially infectious substance,
including blood or body fluid, in order to reduce the likelihood of infection
and the change of further contaminated. Hand washing is critical even when
gloves have been used.
Put on gloves when you might be exposed to blood or
body fluids. Cover open cuts or sores with a bandage so that others will not be
expose to your blood. Disposable gloves must not be reused and replaced
immediately if they are torn or become damaged and after they become
contaminated.
Use personal protective equipment provided such as a
pocket mask, Air-Viva Resuscitator or other barrier devices when performing
emergency rescue breathing to a victim.
All contaminated first aid equipment must be labelled
and for proper disinfections. Also, dispose of any items (e.g. tissues, gauzes,
gloves) that may contain blood or body fluids carefully.
Protect yourself against needle stick injury or other
sharp object. Ensure syringes and needles are capped and return to the to the
physician kit for proper disposal after used by medical personnel. Use tongs to
picks broken glass that may be contaminated.
Do not share toiletries such as razors, toothbrushes,
nail clippers or other personal items with anyone.
Avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth while you are
in area where exposures to blood or other infectious material is possible.
These vascular and mucosal areas provide entry into the bloodstream for
pathogens.
Vaccination for protections against HBV is recommended
to safeguards from the disease.
Blood is the single most important source of HBV and
HIV in the workplace setting. Universal precautions or controlling all exposure
to blood and body fluids in order to prevent the spread of infection are
effective and economical.
Since infected persons and carriers are often
unidentified and contamination of instruments and surfaces is not visible to
the naked eye, the only sensible approach is to prevent contact with blood
through avoidance of certain behaviour, through barrier protection, through
sanitation and disinfections and through vaccination.