AI 5-8 Communicable Disease Exposure
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ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTION Communicable Disease III-5-8 SUBJECT: NUMBER: Exposure Control Plan EFFECTIVE DATE: July 25, 2005 (R) PAGE: 1 of 20 I. Purpose The purpose of the Communicable Disease Exposure Control plan is to protect employees who may be exposed to bloodborne, airborne, and waterborne diseases on the job, and to comply with Cal-OSHA Standard CFR 1910.1030, as part of the City’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program. The intent of the plan is to eliminate or reduce employee occupational exposures to bloodborne, airborne, and waterborne diseases, including the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and other bloodborne diseases, as well as Hepatitis A, a non-bloodborne disease; Tetanus, and airborne exposures to tuberculosis. To assure compliance with this plan the City will: 1. Provide protection for employees whose job classifications may frequently or occasionally place them in contact with bloodborne, airborne or waterborne diseases; through universal precautions training, a voluntary vaccination program, engineering controls, work practice controls, housekeeping controls, and use of personal protective equipment where applicable. 2. Provide protection for all employees whose job classifications do not place them in contact with bloodborne, airborne, or waterborne diseases, but may on rare occasion encounter bloodborne, airborne, or waterborne disease exposures while at work, through awareness training, including how to safeguard themselves’ in the event of bloodborne airborne, or waterborne disease exposures while at work or at home. 3. Provide appropriate testing, treatment, follow up, and counseling to employees who have been exposed to bloodborne, airborne, or waterborne diseases while performing their duties for the City. ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTION Communicable Disease III-5-8 SUBJECT: NUMBER: Exposure Control Plan EFFECTIVE DATE: July 25, 2005 (R) PAGE: 2 of 20 II. Scope It is the City's intent to inform all employees of the Communicable Disease Exposure Control Plan so that they are aware of what bloodborne, airborne, or waterborne disease exposures may exist on the job, and how to protect themselves. Providing up-to-date information starts with initial training for all new employees and continues with annual refresher training by Risk Management for those employees in primary job classifications or, by the Fire Department Designated Officer for Sworn Fire and Police employees, or by the Aquatics Staff for the Swim Center. (Ref. appendix A) The majority of job classifications at the City have little or no exposure to bloodborne, airborne, or waterborne diseases. Job classifications that have a higher risk of exposure, some of which include Firefighters, Police Officers, Swim Instructor / Lifeguards, Wastewater Collection employees, and Custodians have been identified as primary job classifications; requiring in-depth training, a voluntary program for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B virus vaccinations, engineering controls, work practice controls, housekeeping controls, and the use of personal protective equipment, when applicable on the job. III. Definition Bloodborne pathogens refer to microorganisms present in human blood that are capable of causing disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Human Immuno¬deficiency virus (HIV). Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B is spread by direct or indirect contact with infected blood or other body fluids. Complications of HBV infection include cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death. Infection from Hepatitis B can be prevented, by taking the 3 shot series Hepatitis B vaccine. The yeast derived Hepatitis B vaccine will be offered to those employees in primary job classifications free of charge. ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTION Communicable Disease III-5-8 SUBJECT: NUMBER: Exposure Control Plan EFFECTIVE DATE: July 25, 2005 (R) PAGE: 3 of 20 Hepatitis C is a viral infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) which is found in the blood of persons who have the disease. HCV is spread by direct or indirect contact with the blood of an infected person. Approximately 50% of infected persons develop chronic liver disease. There Is no HCV vaccine available at this time. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system and destroys its ability to fight infection. HIV that progresses to the later stages of disease is called AIDS (acquired immuno¬deficiency syndrome). In prospective studies of health care workers, the average risk of HIV transmission after a percutaneous exposure to HIV-infected blood has been estimated to be approximately 0.3% and after a mucous membrane exposure, approximately 0.09%. There is no FDA approved vaccine currently available for HIV. Non-bloodborne diseases include Hepatitis A, a viral infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A is not spread via blood. Transmission occurs through direct person-to-person contact, through exposure to contaminated water, ice, or shellfish, or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods eaten uncooked that were contaminated during harvesting. A yeast-based HAV vaccine is available for those employees in primary job classifications. Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial airborne disease spread through the air from person- to-person when a person with TB disease of the lungs coughs or sneezes. Most people with strong immune systems who breathe in TB bacteria are able to fight off the bacteria and never develop tuberculosis. Repeated exposures to TB bacteria in people with weakened immune systems are the highest risk factor for developing tuberculosis. Waterborne diseases that may be found in grey water, stagnant water, and sewer water include cholera, polio, dysentery, and Hepatitis A. Cholera for example, is a bacterial infection spread by drinking dirty water or ingesting contaminated food, affecting the intestines and dehydrating it’s victims. Hydration that includes clean water, and essential nutrients like glucose and salt, is the cure. ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTION Communicable Disease III-5-8 SUBJECT: NUMBER: Exposure Control Plan EFFECTIVE DATE: July 25, 2005 (R) PAGE: 4 of 20 Tetanus is a bacterial disease that affects the nervous system. It is contracted through a cut or wound from a sharp object, like a rusty nail or knife that has tetanus bacteria from soil, dust, or manure. There is a combination shot called a Td vaccine that provides protection from tetanus. IV. Responsibilities The City Manager and Department Heads are responsible for supporting the overall intent of the Communicable Disease Exposure Control Plan, which is to eliminate or reduce employee occupational exposures to bloodborne, airborne, and waterborne diseases while at work. The responsibility for the effective implementation and maintenance of the City's Communicable Disease Exposure Control Plan include: − Risk Control Officer − Designated Officer for Sworn Employees − Designated Officer for Non-Sworn Employees − Department Managers and Supervisors − Education/Training Instructors − City Employees Risk Control Officer The Risk Control Officer from the Risk Management Division will be responsible for the development, support, annual regulatory review and revision if necessary, of the communicable disease exposure control plan. Designated Officer for Sworn Employees The EMS Educator of the Fire Department will serve as the Designated Officer of the Communicable Disease Exposure Control Plan for sworn employees at the Fire Department and Police Department. Responsibilities include liaison duties between City employees and treating medical facilities and physicians regarding communicable disease exposures and post-exposure management. ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTION Communicable Disease III-5-8 SUBJECT: NUMBER: Exposure Control Plan EFFECTIVE DATE: July 25, 2005 (R) PAGE: 5 of 20 Designated Officer for Non-Sworn Employees The Workers’ Compensation Administrator from the Risk Management Division will serve as the Designated Officer of the Communicable Disease Exposure Control Plan for non-sworn employees. Responsibilities include liaison duties between City employees and treating medical facilities and physicians regarding bloodborne, airborne, and waterborne disease exposures and post-exposure management. Department Managers and Supervisors Department Managers and Supervisors are responsible for informing employees of the City’s exposure control plan. They may work directly with the Risk Control Officer and / or Designated Officers to ensure that training programs, personal protective equipment, medical equipment (where applicable), and exposure control procedures are in place and available to employees. Current information regarding the exposure control plan may be given out at new employee orientation, during annual training where applicable, and at Departmental/ Divisional safety meetings, or via the City’s Safety Committees. Education/Training Coordination The Human Resources Department, Risk Control Officer, Fire Department and outside contractors may all contribute to employee training for the exposure control plan. Training may be given through new employee orientation, current bloodborne, airborne, and waterborne disease information from handouts and booklets, safety meetings and through safety committees. Technical training for the primary job exposure classifications