Janitors, Custodians, and Housekeepers Module 3: Biological Hazards

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Janitors, Custodians, and Housekeepers Module
3 Biological Hazards
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This module

• Will demonstrate that janitors, custodians, and
  housekeepers may complete many different tasks
• Is one in a series of modules that will discuss
  hazards janitors, custodians, and housekeepers
  may encounter
• Will cover exposure to biological hazards and
  provide tips for prevention
• Module 1 will cover chemical hazards from
  cleaning products
• Module 2 will cover physical hazards
• Module 4 will cover musculoskeletal hazards
• Module 5 will cover removing graffiti
• A stand alone module entitled Working Alone in
  Safety may also be of interest
• Provide sources of additional information

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Janitors may have a large variety of tasks

• Vacuuming
• Sweeping and Mopping
• Waxing floors
• Cleaning bathrooms
• Dusting furniture
• Moving furniture
• Emptying trash
• Restocking supplies
• Wiping counters
• Scrubbing
• Unstopping drains/ repairing faucets
• Mowing lawns

• Removing stains
• Heating/Air conditioning
• Ventilation
• Pest control
• Maintaining and cleaning doors and windows
• Delivery/Pick up of items
• Extra security
• Weather emergencies
• Lab spills
• Helping with disabled cars
• Minor repairs
• Painting and carpentry

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Janitors work in a variety of buildings

• Hospitals
• Schools
• Universities
• Laboratories
• Factories
• Offices
• Restaurants

• Stores
• Nursing Homes
• Clinics

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Biological hazards janitors may encounter

• Blood and body fluids
• Pathogens
• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Parasites
• Rodents and rodent droppings
• Insects

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Focus of this module

• This module will focus on contact with blood or
  other potentially infectious material (OPIM) such
  as pathogens.
• They are most likely to be encountered by workers
  in
• Hospitals
• Nursing Homes
• Clinics
• Laboratories

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Focus of this module

• You will learn
• What pathogens are and what kinds of diseases
  they cause
• How you may be exposed
• What to do if you are exposed
• Methods for preventing exposure in your job
• Universal precautions
• Hand washing and protective clothing
• Cleaning contaminated areas
• Working in the laundry area

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What is a Pathogen?
PATHOGEN a microorganism that can cause disease
Four main groups of microorganisms
Examples
Viruses very small, packages of genetic material need living hosts to reproduce HIV, influenza
Bacteria one-celled living organisms do not need living hosts to reproduce E. coli, salmonella
Fungi includes yeasts and molds plants that live by decomposing and absorbing the organic material in which they grow Aspergillis, Stachybotris
Parasites plants or animals that live upon, or within, other living hosts from which they obtain some advantage, like nutrients Giardia, trichinella
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What kinds of disease can pathogens cause?

Viruses AIDS, Hepatitis B, colds, flu, Herpes
Bacteria Intestinal diseases, Tuberculosis, Gonorrhea
Fungi Athletes foot, Farmers lung, Asthma/allergies
Parasites Giardiasis, Malaria, Trichinosis
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How can you get these diseases?
The first step in preventing disease is to keep
the organism from entering the body. There are
three primary routes of entry

• InhalationAir

• Contact
• Bloodborne

• IngestionFood, water

Infected person coughs or sneezes and spreads the
pathogen through the air to others
Infected person doesnt wash hands properly
(virus in the feces), handles or prepares
food/water and contaminates it
Infected person transmits pathogen through a
route that involves blood/mucous membrane/ sexual
contact
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What are the main bloodborne pathogens?
Bloodborne Pathogen Diseases Bloodborne Pathogen Diseases
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Hepatitis C
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) AIDS
(Note A person can have co-infections - two or
more infections in the body at the same time.
For example,a person having HIV/HCV co-infection
has both HIV and HCV.)
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How can you be exposed in your work?
Occupational Exposure

• Means reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous
  membrane, or parenteral (piercing of the skin)
  contact with blood or other potentially
  infectious material (OPIM) that may result from
  the performance of an employee's duties

Exposure Incident

• Is a specific contact with blood or other
  potentially infectious material that is capable
  of transmitting a bloodborne disease

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How can bloodborne pathogens enter your body?
Bloodborne pathogens can enter your body through

• A break in the skin (cut, burn, lesion, etc.)
• Mucus membranes (eyes, nose, mouth)
• Sexual contact
• Other modes

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Getting a disease from exposure to a bloodborne
pathogen
Risk of infection depends on several factors

• The pathogen involved
• The type/route of exposure
• The amount of virus in the infected blood at the
  time of exposure
• The amount of infected blood involved in the
  exposure
• Whether post-exposure treatment was taken
• Specific immune response of the infected
  individual

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What should you do if you are exposed?

• If you are stuck by a needle or other sharp or
  get blood in your eyes, nose, mouth, or on broken
  skin
• Immediately flood the exposed area with water and
  clean any wound with soap and water or a skin
  disinfectant if available.
• Report this immediately to your employer.
• Seek immediate medical attention.

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Preventing exposure to bloodborne pathogens
universal precautions

• Implement Universal Precautions according to the
  Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
• Treat all blood and other potentially infectious
  materials with appropriate precautions such as
• Use gloves, masks, and gowns if blood or OPIM
  exposure is anticipated.
• Use engineering and work practice controls to
  limit exposure

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Preventing exposure to bloodborne pathogens
Hand washing and protective clothing

• Employers must
• Provide readily accessible hand washing
  facilities.
• Ensure that employees wash their hands and any
  other skin with soap and water after contact with
  blood or OPIM.
• Ensure that employees flush mucous membranes with
  water as soon as feasible after contact with
  blood or other potentially infectious materials.
• Protective clothing must
• Be removed before leaving the room
• Disposed of in an appropriately designated area
  or container for storage, washing,
  decontamination or disposal.

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Preventing exposure to bloodborne pathogens
Cleaning

• Cleaning and decontamination of affected areas
• Determine and implement an appropriate written
  schedule for cleaning and methods of
  decontamination.
• This written schedule must be based on the
• Location within the facility.
• Type of surfaces to be cleaned.
• Type of soil present.
• The tasks or procedures to be performed in the
  area.

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Preventing exposure to bloodborne pathogens
Cleaning

• Use appropriate or approved disinfectants as
  determined by the EPA (U.S. Environmental
  Protection Agency). http//www.epa.gov/oppad001/ch
  emregindex.htm
• Fresh solutions of diluted household bleach made
  up every 24 hours are also considered appropriate
  for disinfection. Contact time for bleach is
  generally considered to be the time it takes the
  product to air dry.
• All equipment and environmental and working
  surfaces need to be cleaned and decontaminated
  after contact with blood or other potentially
  infectious materials.

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Preventing exposure to bloodborne pathogens
Cleaning

• Cleaning and decontamination of affected areas
• All bins, pails, cans, and similar receptacles
  intended for reuse which may have become
  contaminated
• cleaned and decontaminated immediately or as soon
  as feasible upon visible contamination
• need to be inspected and decontaminated on a
  regularly scheduled basis and
• Reusable sharps containers must not be opened,
  emptied or cleaned manually or in any other
  manner that would expose employees to the risk of
  percutaneous injury.

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Preventing exposure to bloodborne pathogens
Laundry Area

• Bagging and handling of contaminated laundry,
  with a minimal amount of agitation, at the
  location where it was used
• Contaminated laundry shall not be sorted or
  rinsed in the location of use and must be
  transported to the laundry for decontamination in
  bags or containers labeled or color-coded
• When universal precautions are used in the
  handling of all soiled laundry alternative
  labeling or color-coding is sufficient if it
  permits all employees to recognize the containers
  as requiring compliance with universal
  precautions.

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Preventing exposure to bloodborne pathogens
Laundry Area

• Other Recommended Good Practices
• Melt away bags that can be thrown directly into
  washers without having to unload or remove
  contaminated laundry from bags.
• Rinsing soiled laundry in utility rooms is
  acceptable, if it is not contaminated with blood,
  OPIM, or does not contain sharps.
• Do not hold contaminated laundry bags close to
  the body or squeeze when transporting

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References used for this overview

• OSHA Hospital eTool
• http//www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/index.htm
  l
• What Are Bloodborne Pathogens?
• http//wishatraining.lni.wa.gov/training/presentat
  ions/BBP_ROCDD.ppt
• International Labor Organization - International
  Hazard Datasheets on Occupation
• http//www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safew
  ork/cis/products/hdo/htm/cleaner.htm

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Additional Resources

• WISHA Bloodborne Pathogens Information and Links
  Pagehttp//www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/AtoZ/BBPa
  thogens/default.asp
• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Information and Links
  Pagehttp//www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/
  index.html
• National Institute of Occupational Safety and
  Health (NIOSH) Bloodborne Pathogens Information
  and Links Pagehttp//www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/bbp
  /
• EPA's Registered Antimicrobial Products Effective
  Against Certain Bloodborne/Body Fluid Pathogens
• http//www.epa.gov/oppad001/chemregindex.htm

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Additional Resources

• WISHA Core Safety Rules (WAC 296-800)
• http//www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/rules/corerules/defaul
  t.htm
• (Basic safety and health rules needed by most
  employers in Washington State)
• Workplace Safety and Health
• http//www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/default.asp

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WISHA Consultation Services

• Safety Health program review and worksite
  evaluation
• By employer invitation only
• Free
• Confidential
• No citations or penalties
• Letter explains findings
• Follow-up all serious hazards
• For additional assistance, you can call one of
  our consultants. Click below for local LI office
  locations
• http//www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Basics/Assistance/Con
  sultation/consultants.asp

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• Thank you for taking the time to learn about
  safety and health and how to prevent injuries and
  illnesses.