Purpose:

One of the major goals of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to regulate facilities where work is carried out…to promote safe work practices in an effort to minimize the incidence of illness and injury experienced by employees. Relative to this goal, OSHA has enacted the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, codified as 29 CFR 1910.1030. The purpose of the Bloodborne Pathogens standard is to “reduce occupational exposure to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and other bloodborne pathogens” that employees may encounter in their workplace.

Northeast Technology Center believes that there are a number of “good” general principles that should be followed when working with bloodborne pathogens. These include that:

• It is prudent to minimize all exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

• Risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens should never be underestimated.

• Our school should institute as many engineering and work practice controls as possible to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

We have implemented this Exposure Control Plan to meet the letter and intent of the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. The Objective of this plan is twofold:

• To protect our employees from the health hazards associated with bloodborne pathogens.

• To provide appropriate treatment and counseling should an employee be exposed to bloodborne pathogens.

Hygiene and Sanitation Plan (Bloodborne Pathogens)

Northeast Technology Center Board of Education recognizes that body fluids of any person may contain infectious or contagious bacteria or viruses and may be spread from one person to another by accidental or careless handling of body fluids during sanitation or custodial work or the administration of emergency first aid.

The Superintendent is directed to prepare regulations establishing proper procedures for handling body fluids during normal housekeeping. Such procedures shall include methods for the handling and disposal of body fluids in school buildings and on school equipment and material. The District will make personal protective equipment available to employees for use in handling and disposing of body fluids.

The Superintendent will also direct the identification of employees who could be reasonably anticipated as the result of their job duties to face contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. Any employees so identified will be offered Hepatitis B vaccinations at District cost. Such vaccinations will be provided at a reasonable time and place, under the supervision of a licensed physician or health care professional and according to the latest recommendations of the U.S. Public Health Service.

School District employees who have had an exposure incident to body fluids will participate in a follow-up confidential medical evaluation documenting the circumstances of exposure, identifying and testing the source individual if feasible, testing the exposed employee’s blood if the employee consents, post-exposure prophylaxis, counseling and evaluation of reported illnesses. Health care professionals must be provided specified information to facilitate the evaluation and their written opinion on the need for Hepatitis B vaccination following exposure. Information such as the employee’s ability to receive the Hepatitis B vaccine must be supplied to the employer. All diagnoses must remain confidential.

Hygiene and Sanitation (Bloodborne Pathogens) (Regulation)

In accordance with the policy of the Board of Education, the following regulation and attached procedures contains guidelines for cleaning and disposal of body fluids. For the purpose of this regulation, the term “body fluids” shall include reference to blood, semen, feces, urine, vomit, drainage from scrapes and cuts, and respiratory secretions such as nasal discharge.

1. Wear gloves. All personnel will wear disposable latex gloves during the cleanup and disposal of any of the body fluids listed above. When in doubt about material, assume it to be a body fluid. After any material is removed and disposed, the gloves should be destroyed or disposed of.

2. If gloves are not available and contact with body fluids or open wounds is necessary, hands should be carefully washed as follows:

   1. Use liquid soap and water with vigorous washing under running water for at least 10 seconds.

   2. Dry hands thoroughly with a paper towel. Use the paper towel to turn off the faucet and discard the towel in a proper container.

   3. Use hand lotion if desired. CAUTION: Dry, cracked hands provide openings in the skin for bacteria to enter.

3. A 1-to-10 solution of household bleach and water may be stored in proper containers in areas where soap and water are not readily available. The solution may be used in cleaning body fluid spillage and hands (if soap and water are not available) following cleanup.

4. Materials used in the cleanup of body fluids or suspected body fluids will be sealed in a plastic bag and discarded in appropriate trash containers. Soiled clothing articles, including sanitary napkins will be sealed in plastic bags and discarded. Other non-disposable cleaning items such as mops, towels, buckets, and other items will be thoroughly rinsed in the bleach and water solution or carefully washed in hot, soapy water.

5. Personnel will use the same procedures for washing non-disposable cleaning equipment as for handling body fluids and soiled clothing or other personal apparel.

6. Sanitary absorbents may be used to clean spilled body fluids. The absorbent should be swept up or vacuumed. Carpets should also be shampooed with a germicidal rug shampoo. Sweepings or used vacuumed bags should be sealed in a plastic bag for disposal. Brooms, dustpans, and vacuum brushes should be washed in a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.

7. Any liquid disinfectant used in cleaning floors, equipment, or materials should be discarded in a suitable and appropriate sewage drain.

8. Clothing, towels, and similar cleaning equipment should be washed in hot soapy water with one-half to one cup of bleach added to the wash water.

9. Custodians and sanitation personnel should wear latex disposable gloves during any cleaning operation where the possibility of encountering body fluid exists whether or not the fluid is touched.

10. Careful hand washing is the single most effective method of preventing the spread of contagious diseases. Hands should be washed in hot soapy water before and after any cleanup operation.

11. A copy of the Routine Procedures for Sanitation and Hygiene When Handling Body Fluids will be provided to each employee and must be followed when appropriate and necessary.

Routine Procedures for Sanitation and Hygiene When Handling Body Fluids

Definitions:

1. Bloodborne Pathogens means pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

2. Contaminated means the presence or the reasonably anticipated presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials on an item or surface.

3. Contaminated Laundry means laundry that has been soiled with blood or other potentially infectious materials or may contain sharps.

4. Exposure Incident means a specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, non-intact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that results from the performance of an employees’ duties.

5. Methods of Compliance: General-Universal precautions shall be observed to prevent contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. Under circumstances in which differentiation between body fluid types is difficult or impossible, all body fluids shall be considered potentially infectious materials.

6. Occupational Exposure means reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or other potential infectious materials that may result from the performance of an employees’ duties.

Equipment Needed:

• Water

• Hand Soap

• Towelettes

• Trash Cans & Plastic Liners

• Sanitary Napkin Container

• Disposal Bags

• Disposable Gloves

• Baggies

• Paper Towels

• Utility Gloves

• Mops and Buckets

• Dust Pans/Brush/Broom

Disinfectant: Should use one or more of these:

1. Sodium hypochlorite solution (household bleach); one (1) part bleach to ten (10) parts water. (Example: 1 ½ cups bleach to 1 gallon of water.) Needs to be prepared each time used on inanimate objects.

2. ViroGuard-Q – Distributed by Health Services; one (1) oz. Of ViroGuard-Q to 128 oz. of water. ViroGuard-Q is a germicidal product that is to be used on inanimate objects. ViroGuard-Q has bactericidal efficacy, virucidal efficacy, and sanitizing efficacy.

3. Hydrogen Peroxide 3% - to be used on skin surfaces.

4. Isopropyl Alcohol – to be used on some skin surfaces and for rinsing the hands.

5. Sanitary absorbing agent (e.g., chlora-sorb).

Procedure:

1. General:

   1. Wear disposable gloves before making contact with body fluids during care, treatment, and all cleaning procedures.

   2. Discard gloves after each use.

   3. Wash hands with germicidal soap after handling fluids and contaminated articles, whether or not gloves are worn.

   4. Discard disposable items including tampons, used bandages, and dressings in plastic lined trash containers; close bags and discard daily.

   5. Do not reuse plastic trash bags

   6. Use disposable items to handle body fluids whenever possible.

   7. Use paper towels to pick up and discard any solid waste materials such as vomitus or feces.

   8. Use general-purpose utility gloves (e.g., rubber household gloves) for housekeeping chores involving potential blood contacts and for general cleaning. Utility gloves can be cleaned and reused but should be discarded if they are peeling, cracked or discolored, or if they have punctures, tears or other evidence of deterioration.

2. Handwashing

   1. Use germicidal soap and running water. Soap suspends easily removable soil and microorganisms, allowing them to be washed and rinsed away.

   2. Rub hands together for approximately ten (10) seconds to work up lather.

   3. Scrub between fingers, knuckles, back of the hands and nails. Nails should be short and trimmed. Jewelry should not be worn.

   4. Rinse hands under running water. Running water is necessary to carry away debris and dirt.

   5. Use paper towels to thoroughly dry hands.

   6. Use paper towel to turn water off, discard paper towel.

3. Washable Surfaces (bottles, dishes, tales, desks, etc.)

   1. Use ViroGuard-Q solution or use household bleach solution, mixed fresh. Scrub as needed.

   2. Rinse with water.

   3. Allow to air dry.

   4. When bleach solution is used, handle carefully:

      1. Gloves should be worn since the solution is irritating to the skin.

      2. Avoid applying to metal, since it will corrode most metals.

4. Floors

   1. Use household bleach solution, mixed fresh, or multi-purpose disinfectant.

   2. Use the two (2) bucket system: One bucket to wash the soiled surface and one bucket to rinse, as follows:

      1. In bucket #1, dip, wring, mop up vomitus, blood, etc.

      2. Dip, wring, and mop once more.

      3. Dip and wring out mop in bucket #1.

      4. Put mop into bucket #2 (rinse bucket) that has clean bleach solution.

      5. Mop or rinse area.

      6. Return mop to bucket #2 to wring out. This keeps the rinse bucket clean for second spill in the area.

   3. Soak mop in the bleach solution after use.

   4. After cleanup is completed, discard contents of bucket #1. Bucket #2 is now bucket #1; mix fresh bleach solution for bucket #2.

   5. Water and disposable cleaning equipment should be placed in a toilet or plastic bag, as indicated.

   6. Rinse nondisposable cleaning equipment (dustpan, buckets) in disinfectant.

   7. Dispose of disinfectant solution down the drainpipe.

   8. Remove gloves, if worn, and discard in the appropriate receptacle.

   9. Wash hands as described above.

5. Non-Washable Surfaces (rugs and upholstery, etc.)

   1. Apply sanitary absorbing agent, let dry, vacuum.

   2. If necessary, use broom and dustpan to remove soiled materials.

   3. Apply rug or upholstery shampoo as directed. Re-vacuum according to directions on shampoo.

   4. Spray soiled area with ViroGuard-Q solution, air dry.

   5. Clean dustpan and broom, if used. Rinse in ViroGuard-Q solution or household bleach solution.

   6. Wash hands as described above.

6. Soiled Washable Materials (clothing, towels, uniforms, etc.)

   1. Rinse items under running water, using gloved hands, if appropriate.

   2. Place items in plastic bag and seal until items are washed. Plastic bags containing soiled, washable material must be clearly identified.

   3. Wash hands as described above.

   4. Wipe sink with paper towels, discard towels.

   5. Machine wash soiled items separately.

      1. If material is bleachable, add ½ cup bleach to the wash cycle. If it is not bleachable, add ½ cup non-chlorine bleach (Clorox II/Borateem) to the wash cycle.

      2. Wash in hot water: 160 Degrees F. for 25 minutes, using detergent with disinfecting agent.

      3. Discard plastic bag.

      4. After handling soiled items, wash hands as described above.

7. To Clean Blood or Body Fluid Spills (blood from nose, mouth, and skin lesions)

   1. Put on gloves.

   2. Use disposable wipes, cotton balls, or gauze pads that have been immersed in 3% peroxide.

   3. Proceed to clean blood spills with the solution soaked materials.

   4. Place soiled materials in a plastic bag for disposal.

   5. Remove gloves, include with soiled materials and discard.

   6. Wash hands as described above.

8. Personal Hygiene Measures

   1. CPR – Use disposable mouthpiece and/or face shield.

   2. All cleaning supplies must be labeled regardless of container.

9. Personal Hygiene Measures

   1. Wash hands in soap and water immediately after evacuating bowels or bladder and always before handling food or eating.

   2. Keep hands and unclean articles or utensils that have been used for bodily purposes by others away from the mouth, eyes, nose, ears, and wounds.

   3. Avoid using common or unclean eating utensils, drinking cups, towels, combs, handkerchiefs or disposable tissues.

   4. Avoid exposure to other persons’ spray from the nose or mouth as in coughing, sneezing, laughing, or talking.

   5. Wash hands thoroughly after handling another person’s belongings.

Approved by Board of Education, April 18, 1994
Amended on October 6, 2008