Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/859801
W EEKLY EDITION AUG 9, 2017 Question of the Week: What is the portable sanitation industry standard as it pertains to bloodborne pathogens? ...continued By Karleen Kos, PSAI Executive Director • Identify and ensure the use of work practice controls. These are practices that reduce the possibility of exposure by changing the way a task is performed, such as appropriate practices for handling and disposing of contaminated sharps, cleaning contaminated surfaces and items. The controls will vary by porta ble sanitation company due to the variances in types of equipment, but your exposure control plan should cover the procedures you have put in place and trained employees to use to make the most of your equipment and use it in a manner that minimizes risk. • Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees at risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens an d OPIM. The PSAI standard for PP E includes – at a minimum – hard hats, waterproof gloves, eye protection such as safety glasses or face shields, and wat erproof boots. Some insurance companies also require waterproof clothing as well, and some job sites such as mines and power plants have additional PPE requirements unrelated to bloodborne pathogens. Whatever PPE is required to protect your employees, it i s your responsibility as the employer to clean, repair, and replace this equipment as needed. Provision, maintenance, repair and replacement must be at no cost to the worker. • Provide information and training to workers. Employers must ensure that their wo rkers receive regular training that covers all elements of the standard including, but not limited to: o information on bl oodborne pathogens and diseases o methods used to control occupational exposure, hepatitis B vaccine, and medical evaluation and post - exp osure follow - up procedures. o Employers must offer this training on initial assignment to the position where the worker may be exposed, at least annually thereafter, and when new or modified tasks or procedures affect a worker's occupational exposure. Worker s must have the opportunity to ask the trainer questions. Also, training must be presented at an educational level and in a language that workers understand. Bloodborne pathogens training resources can usually be obtained through your local Red Cross or you can contract with commercial vendors to supply it for you. • Make hepatitis B vaccinations available to all workers with occupational exposure. This vaccination must be offered after the worker has received the required bloodborne pathogens training and within 10 days of initial assignment to a job with occupational exposure. • Make available post - exposure evaluation and follow - up to any occupationally exposed worker who experiences an exposure incident. An exposure incident is a specific eye, mouth, othe r mucous membrane, non - intact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or OPIM. This evaluation and follow - up must be at no cost to the worker and includes documenting the route(s) of exposure and the circumstances. Of course there's always more to learn. F or additional information, go to OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention Safety and Health Topics web page . The Centers for Disease Control also have some good resources here . More questions? Let the PSAI know and we'll research it for you. PAGE 3