Each department that has employees at risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens has the following responsibilities and functions.

• Circulating Exposure Control guidelines to employees.
• Funding and providing PPE, as needed.
• Notifying EHS before establishing research involving human pathogenic agents
• Ensuring that new employees do not engage in activities with potential exposure until they have had introductory training.
• Encouraging full participation of all at risk employees, to include:
  • Allowing attendance at training sessions during normal work hours
  • Requiring at risk employees to review Exposure Control Guidelines
  • Requiring employees to follow safe work practices

The following departments have been identified by EHS as having at risk employees:

• Athletics
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Campus Safety
• Chemistry
• Dining
• EHS
• EMS (Bates)
• Facility Services

The above list is not exhaustive.

Each department with at risk employees should appoint a coordinator, who will be responsible for ensuring that the Exposure Control guidelines are complete and accessible. Accessibility means that all at risk employees should be informed of the location of the guidelines and should be encouraged to read its content.

Bates College employees who supervise at risk employees should act as coordinators in departments where no one has been assigned that role. Furthermore, supervisors / managers should:

• Ensure that newly hired at risk employees receive introductory training
• Must allow employees to receive vaccinations during normal work hours
• Must secure PPE, such as gloves, for employees
• Must be familiar with reporting guidelines in the event of an exposure

Every employee that can reasonably anticipate exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials during their normal job duties has certain responsibilities. They include:

• Attending training sessions
• Complying with these guidelines
• Adhering to Universal Precautions
• Reporting exposure incidents to Supervisors and EHS

EHS is responsible for coordinating the following program elements:

• Identification of at-risk employees
• Conducting introductory training classes and annual refresher classes
• Maintaining training records
• Providing post-exposure follow-up
• Creating, distributing, and revising college wide Exposure Control guidelines
• Operating a regulated waste disposal program
• Oversight of departmental compliance

• Assume that ALL blood is positive for HIV, HBV, and HCV
• Assume that ALL other human fluids/tissues are also positive
• When it’s difficult to differentiate, treat ALL fluids as potentially infectious
• Assume that ALL individuals are carrying these disease organisms
• Avoid skin contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials
• Avoid eye, nose, and mouth contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials
• Avoid punctures/sticks with contaminated sharp objects

Engineering controls are devices and tools that prevent exposure to health hazards. These sorts of safety controls shall be used, in conjunction with Work Practice Controls, to eliminate or minimize employee exposure.

These controls are extremely important, as they are the best methods of preventing exposure.

These devices/equipment must be inspected and maintained on a regular basis by the Implementation Coordinator or designee. Worn parts and equipment must be replaced as soon as indicated through the inspection process.

Here are some common engineering controls used to protect employees from bloodborne pathogens:

• Handwashing Facilities: there must be a facility to supply adequate running water, soap, and single-use towels or hot-air drying machines.
• Alternate Handwashing Devices: when running water handwashing facilities are not feasible, an appropriate antiseptic hand cleanser with clean cloth/paper towels OR antiseptic towelettes shall be provided.
• Needle Safety Devices: departments using sharps should make reasonable attempts to implement the use of safety devices for needles. Examples are:
  • Needle-less connectors
  • Protected needle IV connectors
  • Needles that retract
  • Hinged or sliding shields
  • Protective encasements
  • Self-blunting needles
  • Retractable lancets
• Sharps Containers: proper containers for storage of contaminated sharps must be provided and these containers must be:
  • Puncture resistent
  • Closeable
  • Leakproof
  • Labeled or color-coded
• Splash Guards: lab equipment that can potentially vaporize or splash blood should be equipped with a splashguard or similar protective device.
• Resuscitation Masks: must be made available to all First Responders. These devices prevent fluid exchange during the administration of CPR.
• Biosafety Cabinets: used in biological labs when the possibility of exposure to airborne pathogens is present.

Work practice controls are procedures that employees need to follow in order to keep themselves safe. These required procedures are to be followed by all “at risk” employees and must be enforced by all departments.

Hand/Skin Washing

It is extremely important that all at-risk employees follow strict hand/skin washing procedures at the following times:

1. After removing gloves or other PPE
2. Following contact with blood and other potentially infectious fluid

Hands and other skin areas must be washed with soap and water OR antiseptic cleanser (in the absence of water). Mucous membranes must be flushed with copious amounts of water for a minimum of 15 minutes.

When an antiseptic cleanser or towelette is used, washing with soap and water as soon as possible.

Sharps Handling

Whenever a needle or other sharp device is exposed, injuries can occur. Needlestick injuries have been related to certain work practices such as:

• recapping,
• transferring a bodily fluid between containers, and
• failing to properly dispose of used needles in puncture-resistant sharps containers.

If recapping cannot be avoided, it should be accomplished through the use of a mechanical device. Also, puncture resistant gloves may be worn if able to do so.

Minimizing Splashing

All procedures involving blood or other potentially infectious materials must be performed in such a manner as to minimize splashing, spraying, spattering, and generation of droplets.

Avoiding Ingestion

• Eating, drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics or lip balm, and handling contact lenses are strictly prohibited in work areas where there is a reasonable likelihood of occupational exposure.
• Food and drink shall not be kept where blood or other potentially infectious material is prohibited.
• Mouth pipetting/suctioning of blood or other potentially infectious materials is prohibited.

Contaminate Equipment

The following procedures must be followed when having potentially contaminated equipment serviced:

1. Look for evidence of contamination.
2. Decontaminate if necessary and feasible.
3. If NOT feasible, label equipment with a BIOHAZARD label.
4. Include on the label which parts are contaminated.
5. Convey information to affected employees and servicing representative prior to shipping, so that precautions can be taken.

Where occupational exposure remains after the implementation of Engineering and Work Practice Controls, PPE must be used. Departments shall provide, at no cost to the employee, the appropriate PPE, including but not limited to:

• Gloves
• Gowns
• Lab Coats
• Face Shields
• Masks
• Eye Protection
• Mouthpieces
• Resuscitation Bags
• Pocket Masks
• Mechanical Respiratory Devices

PPE is considered appropriate if it is needed for, and is capable of, preventing blood or other fluids from passing through to the employee’s clothing, skin, or mucous membranes. Departments should complete a formal PPE Hazard Assessment to determine and document what PPE must be provided and used for hazard exposures.

Departments must ensure proper use, accessibility, cleaning, disposal, repair and replacement of PPE.

Employees must remove PPE before leaving the work area or whenever the PPE has become saturated with blood or other potentially infectious materials. Used PPE must be placed in an appropriately designated area or container for storage, washing, decontamination, or disposal.

Gloves

Gloves must be worn when it can be reasonably anticipated that the employee may have hand contact with:

• blood,
• other potentially infectious materials
• mucous membranes
• non-intact skin, and
• when handling contaminated equipment or surfaces.

Disposal of gloves:

• Disposable gloves should be discarded when they become torn, punctured, or contaminated,
• Utility gloves that can be decontaminated should be discarded when cracked, peeling, torn, punctured, or deteriorating.

Face and Eye Protection

Masks, goggles, glasses, and face shields are to be worn whenever splashes, spray, spatter, or droplets of blood or other potentially infectious materials may be generated and eye, nose, and mouth contamination can be reasonably anticipated.

Body Protection

Gowns, aprons, lab coats, clinic jackets, and other protective body clothing are to be worn in occupational exposure situations when appropriate. The type and characteristics of the PPE will depend upon the task and degree of exposure anticipated.

All worksites shall be maintained in clean and sanitary conditions at all times. To meet the OSHA regulatory requirements, each work area covered by these guidelines must establish a written cleaning schedule.

Decontamination/Cleaning of surfaces and equipment must be performed at the following times:

1. At the frequency determined in the written schedule
2. Following a contamination incident
3. Following routine procedures that may cause contamination
4. At the end of work shifts, if contamination may have occurred since last cleaning

The following surfaces that are likely to need decontamination:

1. Lab equipment
2. Bench/Counter tops
3. Receptacles intended for reuse, that may store bloody material
4. Environmental Surfaces: large areas, such as entire lab rooms, etc.

Other housekeeping procedures include:

1. Protective coverings must be removed and replaced as soon as feasible when they become obviously contaminated or at the end of the workshift if they may have become contaminated during that shift. Coverings include plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and imperviously-backed absorbent paper.
2. Broken glass must not be picked up directly with the hands. It shall be cleaned up mechanically. Use a brush and dust pan, tongs, or forceps.
3. Employees must never reach their hands into containers of contaminated sharps.

Handling

1. Contaminated laundry must be handled as little as possible.
2. Employees that have contact with contaminated laundry must wear protective gloves and other appropriate PPE.
3. Employees are not to take contaminated laundry home for laundering. The department must arrange to have an approved laundry service collect and clean these items or provide access to laundering equipment in the work area.

Storage

1. Contaminated laundry must be bagged or contained at the location where it was used and must not be sorted or rinsed in the location of use.
2. Proper containers are:
   • labeled with the Biohazard symbol, or color-coded fluorescent orange or orange-red
   • capable of preventing soak-through, if laundry is wet and presents reasonable likelihood of leakage to the exterior of the container

Transportation

1. Contaminated laundry must be transported in proper containers, as described above.
2. Laundry personnel must use Universal Precautions when handling ALL laundry.

A proper label is:

• A sticker, placard, or label that contains:
  1. The word BIOHAZARD
  2. The biohazard symbol
• Anything color-coded
  1. Fluorescent orange
  2. Orange-red

What should be labeled?

• Containers of regulated waste
• Refrigerators/Freezers containing blood or other potentially infectious materials
• Containers used to store or transport above mentioned fluids
• Equipment that cannot be decontaminated (location of contamination must be written on label

Bates College Blood Spill Team is trained to clean and disinfect areas contaminated by blood or other bodily fluids. Contact Facility Services at 786-6449 for assistance.

After hours contact Bates Campus Safety at 786-6111.

Materials Required

• Appropriate personal protective equipment (minimum PPE is nitrile gloves and safety glasses or goggles)
• Wet Floor Signs
• Biohazard bags
• Sharps container for broken glass or sharp edged waste
• Disposable absorbent towels
• Absorbent material
• Disposable dust pan and brush or tongs
• EPA approved disinfectant
• Clean mop head and handle
• Mop bucket and wringer

Procedures:

1. Limit access to spill area by placing Wet Floor signs at approach points.
2. Sprinkle absorbent material over spill.
3. Allow absorbent to soak up liquid.
4. Apply disinfectant material to absorbent and allow to stand at least ten minutes.
5. Collect contaminated absorbent using disposable dust pan or similar alternative.
6. Lay absorbent towels over spill area and soak with EPA approved disinfectant.
7. Allow time for disinfectant to work (per label instructions).
8. Pick up disinfectant soaked towels and place into biohazard bags along with absorbent material.
9. Mop spill area with disinfectant.
10. Rinse spill area with clean water.
11. When spill area is dry, remove Wet Floor signs.

Materials Required:

• Appropriate personal protective equipment
• Barrier tape
• Biohazard signs and/or other signs as appropriate
• Sharp containers for broken glass or sharp edged waste
• Absorbent material (disposable towels)
• EPA approved disinfectant (not bleach solution)
• Carpet or upholstery shampooer

Procedure:

1. Isolate the area with barrier tape and warning signs
2. Soak the spill with enough disinfectant to cover the spot
3. Let stand for at least 30 minutes to allow completer disinfection
4. Blot up excess disinfectant with disposable towels
5. Double bag all contaminated towels and gloves and label with biohazard symbol
6. Soak the area with additional disinfectant
7. Allow to stand overnight
8. Shampoo carpet or upholstery

1. Don gloves, gown, and/or goggles depending on the need.
2. DO NOT use Zamboni to clean up blood spills.
3. Gently remove frozen blood with ice scraper. Scrape blood inward towards the center of the spill.
4. Scrape frozen blood and contaminated ice onto a shovel or into a pail. DO NOT let the ice melt. Dispose of contaminated ice into a toilet.
5. Flush shovel or pail with water and spray with an industrial cleaner.
6. Employee should discard disposal gloves into trash if no blood is present or into a biohazard bag if contaminated with blood.
7. Wash hands with soap and warm water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
8. Sanitize hands.
9. Report incident to Supervisor.