Bloodborne Infectious Disease Risk Factors

Emergency sharps information

Risks of exposure to blood and other body fluids

It is vital for healthcare workers to know how to protect patients and themselves. Bloodborne pathogens include the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Workers

As you work, you may experience:

• A needlestick.
• Another sharps injury.
• An exposure to patient blood or other body fluids.

If any of these occur, take the following steps:

• Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water.
• Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with water.
• Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile irrigants.
• Report the incident to your supervisor.
• Immediately seek medical treatment.

Medical Providers

Prevention

Workers and employers should take advantage of needle-free and sharps-free equipment, work practices, engineering controls (including safety-engineered sharps), and personal protective equipment.

Always consider the following hierarchy of controls:

• Elimination or substitution.
• Work practices and administrative controls.
• Engineering controls.

Elimination or substitution

Eliminate sharps or substitute with equipment that does not cause puncture wounds or lacerations. In some cases, healthcare workers can reduce the risk of transmitting bloodborne pathogens by eliminating sharps devices and substituting with non-sharp devices. Examples include needle-free medication delivery systems and the use of blunt surgical suture needles.

Work practices and administrative controls

Policies and procedures can help protect healthcare workers from bloodborne pathogens. These include:

• An exposure control plan to identify work practices at risk of exposures to bloodborne pathogens.
• Policies to reduce exposure risks, such as:
  • Clearly labeling biohazardous waste.
  • Procedures for safely disposing of biohazardous waste.
  • Regularly disposing of filled sharps containers.
• Protocols to follow when exposure occurs.

Engineering controls

Engineering controls are important for protecting against bloodborne pathogen hazards. Types of engineering controls include:

• Sharps disposal containers.
  • They are made with puncture-resistant plastic or metal.
  • They have specially designed lids that only allow sharps to be deposited.
  • They are too small for a hand to enter.
  • It is important to place sharps disposal containers in areas where needed and making sure they are not overfilled.

• Safety-engineered sharps devices.
  • Using safety-engineered sharps devices can prevent injuries and resulting infections with bloodborne pathogens in both patients and healthcare workers.
  • Safety-engineered devices include retracting needles, sliding sheaths, and hinged needle shields.
  • Safety features are especially helpful when the device is not in use and during disposal.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Administrative and engineering controls are preferred methods of protecting healthcare workers. However, using PPE such as gloves are a part of routine patient care. When protecting against bloodborne pathogens by touching patients and surfaces or splashes and sprays of blood and body fluids, PPE may include:

• Facial protection.
  • Masks or face shields.
  • Some respirators may also provide facial protection.
• Eye protection.
  • Goggles or glasses with side protection.
• Gloves.
• Gowns and other protective clothing.

Resources

• National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
• Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Stop Sticks Campaign
• Protection Healthcare Personnel
• National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
• Food and Drug Administration