Purpose:
To provide
specific details and actions to prevent the transmission of Hepatitis B.
To educate students and employees in regards to means of
exposure, universal precautions and protective equipment, and to provide an
opportunity for vaccination.
Scope:
This program applies to
I.
Programs:
A. Background
Information
1. Hepatitis B is a highly
contagious virus that infects hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. It
enters the bloodstream and silently invades liver cells. In the mildest case,
one may not be aware of the virus – it can be gone in six months. Some people
become carriers for life infecting others while in more severe cases; the
disease may lead to liver cancer and death.
2. The
virus is obtained through direct contact with blood or body fluids.
a. Exposure
may occur as a result of sex, open wounds, mucous membranes (mouth or vaginal),
sharing razors, nail clippers, sharing needles, handling contaminated laundry,
contact with human blood, etc…
b. Treatment
– At the present time there is no cure. Rest and high protein and carbohydrate
diet to repair cells and protect the liver are the only treatment.
B. Exposure
Control Plan
Exposure Determination
Since it is possible to be
infected through a single exposure, opportunities for exposure must be
prevented to the greatest degree possible. To that end, the following are:
a. Identification
of classification, activities, and classes in which exposure may occur. At the
present time the following classifications, groups, students, etc. have been
identified as having exposure:
1.
2.
3. Law
Enforcement Police Officers
4. Custodians
(including student help)
5. Plumbers
6. Medical
Technician Students
7. Coaches
8. Resident
Advisors and Directors
9. Environmental
Heath and Safety Director
10. HPEA
Faculty
11. HPEA
Trainers
2. Supervisors,
chairpersons, coaches and others who direct subordinates or students in the
above classifications who can reasonably anticipate skin, eye, mucous membrane,
or paternal contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that
may result from the performance of an employees duties or a students in their
participation in formal university activities shall familiarize themselves,
their subordinates and/or students with potential exposure via a structured
training room.
a. Training
program contents:
1. Background
information about the virus
2. List
of tasks and procedures in which exposure may occur. Exposure determination
shall be made without regard to the use of personal protective equipment.
3. Universal
Precautions
4. Appropriate
personal protective equipment
5. Proper
handling and disposal of contaminated waste
6. Vaccination
b. Students
will receive training through regular scheduled classes and/or instructors.
Employees will participate in an annual program arranged by EHS.
3. Other
exposure groups such as athletes and education majors will be made aware of
Hepatitis B transmission through health education programs and services
C. Universal
Precautions
a. Personnel identified as
having an exposure shall employ the following universal precautions
1. Use
protective gloves/clothing when in contact with blood/body fluids
2. Wash
hands thoroughly and immediately after contamination with blood/body fluids
3. Use
special ventilation devices and wear gloves while resuscitating
4. Sterilize
and disinfect instruments/devices
5. Disposable
contaminated items/wastes prominently with “Blood and Body Fluid Precautions”
D. Safe
Practices
a. Wash
hands often and thoroughly
b. Use
gloves whenever performing cleaning operations and handling wastes
c. Personnel
using needles and other contaminated sharps shall not bend or recap sharps
d. Immediately
or as soon as possible after use, contaminated reusable sharps shall be placed
in appropriate containers until properly reprocessed
1. Containers
shall be puncture resistant, labeled or color-coded and leak proof on the sides
and bottoms.
e. Eating,
drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics or lip balm and handling contact lenses
are prohibited in exposure areas or situations
f.
Food and drink shall not be kept in refrigerators,
freezers, shelves, cabinets, or on countertops or bench tops where blood or
other potentially infectious materials are present.
E. Personal Protective
Equipment
1. When there is an exposure to
employees, the University will provide, at no cost to employee(s) appropriate
personal protective equipment such as but not limited to gloves, gowns,
laboratory coats, face shields, masks and eye protection. Students will be
expected to purchase all necessary equipment not supplied as part of normal
class activity.
F. Vaccination
1. Hepatitis B vaccination
shall be made available after employees and students have received training and
within 10 days of initial assignment to a job classification noted above B.
–1.-a. or a
class where exposure could occur.
2. Employees
and students declining vaccination must sign a declination statement.
3. The
university will provide the vaccination at no cost to employees. Students with
the exception of the Fall Semester of 1992 are expected to have been vaccinated
prior to the first class. Fall semester 1992 students with an exposure and
requesting a vaccine may participate in the campus vaccine program at a cost to
be determined by the Hepatitis B committee.
G.
Record Keeping
1. Medical
a. The Human Resources
Department shall maintain a record for each employee who has an exposure and
the
1.) dates
and status of vaccinations
2.) copy of all results of examinations, medical testing.
2. Training
1.) the
date of training sessions
2.) contents
or summary of session
3.) names
& qualification of trainer (s)
4.) names
and job titles of all persons attending the training sessions
a. records shall be maintained for 5 years from the date on
which the training occurred.
H.
Post–Exposure evaluation
1. Following
a report of an exposure incident, the employee or student shall inform his or
her supervisor or instructor. The University will make available, at no cost to
the employee or student, a confidential medical evaluation and a follow-up
exam. The exam will be scheduled through the Occupational Safety Officer in
terms of University employees while student(s) will use the student health
center. All reports will be maintained in a confidential manner. Documentation
of the route(s) of exposure and the circumstances under which the exposure
incident occurred, as well as the source, will be documented in a confidential
manner.