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Blood borne Pathogens and
First Aid
Accidents and unexpected illness can
occur in any workplace, and exposure to blood is a possibility
in all working environments. Many worksites have employees
who are expected to render first aid as part of their job
duties. These employees are covered by the Blood borne pathogens
standard. Additionally, an employee who routinely provides
first aid to other employees with the knowledge of the employer
may be covered by the standard even if the employer has not
officially designated the employee as a first aid provider.
However, if an employee provides firtst
aid or CPR as a Good Samaritan and not as a formally trained
first aid provider who has beed designated by the employer
to give first aid, the employee is not covered by the standard.
Still, employers are encouraged to offer follow-up procedures
for any employee who experiences an exposure incident.
Blood
Borne Pathogens and Needle Sticks
The greatest chance for occupational
exposure to blood borne pathogens is from improper handling
of sharp medical devices or equipment such as hypodermic needles,
scalpels, sutures, or blood collection devices that are contaminated
with human blood, tissue or body fluid. Any worker handling
sharp devices or equipment is at risk of occupational exposure
to blood borne pathogens.
Accidental puncture of the skin while
handling hypodermic needles or syringes is common worldwide
among healthcare providers such as physicians, nurses, and
emergency response personel. These occupational injuries frequently
occur from using unsafe needle devices and improper handling
and disposal of needle. They are a substantial source of infections
with blood borne pathogens and are highly preventable.
An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 needlestick
injuries occur annually in hospital settings. Nurses are the
most frequently injured, but laboratory staff, physicians,
housekeepers, and other health care workers are also injured.
In response to concern over these exposures, Congress passed
the Needlesticks Safety and Prevention Act, directing OSHA
to revise the Blood borne Pathogens Standard. This revision
became effective in April 2001.
The revised standard states that “safer medical devices,
|such as sharps with engineered sharps injury protections
and needleless systems must be used where feasible.”
Safer needles have built-in safety control devices, such as
those that use a self-sheathing needle, to help prevent injuries
Accidents and unexpected illness can occur if y before, during,
and after use through safer design features.
The Centers fpr Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 60-90 percent of sharps
injuries in the hospital setting could be prevented by using
safer medical devices. For more information, OSHA has developed
an excellent website dedicated to safety and preventin of
needlesticks and sharps injuries. See the Hospital eTool (HealthCare
Wide Hazards Module) at http://www.osha.gov
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