Bloodborne Pathogens
WHS staff: Please review the material and take the quiz
Please see me if you have further questions. This yearly review is mandated by OSHA.
1. What supplies are available for my class room? (Engineering Controls)
Baggies of gloves, gauze, bandaids and disinfectant wipes are available throught the nurse. Check your supplies at least twice a year Gloves can lose their integrity over time. A good time to check is when we turn the clocks back, when the nurse sends out a reminder or whenever you use supplies. We use latex free products now due to allergies so if you have any old gloves please return to nurse for a couple fresh sets. Handwashing is necessary after cleaning up blood even if you wear gloves. Hand sanitizer is available from the Main Office. Hand sanitizer is necessary to have on hand when running water isn't readily available. Treating all body fluids as infectious (wearing gloves etc) is called UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS.
The HIV virus is relatively fragile, but can potentially live on a hard surface for up to a few hours.
In contrast, the Hepatitis B virus may potentially remain infectious on a surface for up to 1 week.
What if I forgot to replace my gloves or I am not sure how to clean a surface?
When in doubt, don't touch it and keep students away from the area. Please call the Nurse and or Custodian for assitance.
What is is "regulated waste" ? (what goes in the red bag?)
Regulated Waste means liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials; contaminated items that would release blood or other potentially infectious materials in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed; items that are caked with dried blood or other potentially infectious materials and are capable of releasing these materials during handling; contaminated sharps; and pathological and microbiological wastes containing blood or other potentially infectious materials.
(In other words, a bandaid with blood on it can go in the regular trash can any where in the building).
2. Demo on how to remove contaminated gloves: remember bloodborne pathogens can enter your body through breaks in the skin(cuts, rashes, dermatitis,eyes, mucus membranes(in the nose or mouth)
3. Watch this video for even more information.
If You have a bloodborne exposure...
During School Hours: Wash the area thoroughly or flush the eye for 15 minutes with clean water. Report the incident to Your nurse, administrator or central office. They will direct you to appropriate medical care.
After school hours: (sports game, practice, field trip): Wash or flush as directed above.Seek medical care. Report to administrator, nurse or central office as soon as feasible.
The school is a relatively low risk setting for bloodborne exposure. Employees such as nurses, custodians, secretaries, administrators, coaches and some special ed teachers are at a higher risk.
All employees are eligible for hepatitis B vaccine. Please see your school nurse if you haven't been vaccinated and wish to receive the series.
WOCSD District Bloodborne Pathogen Policy
4. Take the quiz
Thanks for taking your annual training! Remember your best protections from bloodborne pathogen exposure are.....
1. Barriers (Gloves, eye protection)
2. Hepatitis B vaccination
3. hand washing
4. Plan ahead for the unexpected
5. Common sense!
For even more information, here is the standard from the US Department of Labor
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10051