Download Blood/Body Fluid Precautions

Blood/Body Fluid Precautions
(Including Blood Spill Clean-Up)
General Procedures for Preventing Transmission of
Infectious Diseases/School Setting
Having direct contact with the body fluids of another person can potentially provide the means by which
many different infectious diseases can spread. Some examples of body fluids, which can transmit
infection, and some of the diseases that can result are the following:
Body Fluid
Eye discharge
Nose or throat discharge
Blood
Feces
Urine
Diseases spread through contact with this fluid
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
Colds; Influenza; Chicken Pox
Hepatitis B; HIV disease (AIDS)
Hepatitis A; Shiglleosis; Giardiasis
Cytomegalovirus infection
It is important to remember that any person could potentially have diseases-causing organisms in their
body fluids, even if they have no signs or symptoms of illness. Consequently, the following
recommendations should be followed in all situations, and not just those involving an individual known to
have an infectious disease. Some typical circumstances where blood is likely to be encountered include
fights, sports injuries, nose bleeds, accidents in shop class, home economics, science labs or any other
setting where students use glass or sharp objects.
If It Is Wet and NOT Yours-Don’t touch It.
Never touch blood or any moist body substance with your bare skin.
For bleeding students:
 Have student apply pressure to affected area, if possible.
 Always use a barrier, such as gloves. If no gloves available use a thick wad of paper or
clean plastic bag
 Nose bleeds: the student should use several tissues and pinch the nostril tightly together
 When removing gloves be careful not to expose your skin to the outside of the gloves.
 Wash hands for at least 15 seconds under running water with soap, and dry with disposable
paper towel
If exposed to blood:




Wash the blood/body fluid off immediately with soap and water
If blood/body fluid in eyes flush with running water for 15 seconds at a sink
If mucous membranes by blood/body fluids flush water immediately
Report incident immediately to supervisor, and fill out work-comp paperwork
Clean Up:
Call custodians and keep everyone away.