Download Allegany County Sheriff`s Department Title: Infectious Disease Control

Allegany County Detention Center
SOP #011-07
Infectious Disease Control
Effective: March 26, 2007
Revised: February 28, 2013/March 15, 2017
Approved by:_________________________
Sheriff Craig Robertson
Applicability: This SOP applies to all Allegany County Detention Center employees and other
persons who enter the facility and may come in contact with inmates or other persons in any
facility.
Purpose: The purpose of the SOP is to provide the necessary information to increase safety on
the job. This SOP is in accordance with the universal precautions for preventing the spread of
infectious disease in the work place developed by the Centers for Disease Control. The
procedures and guidelines in this SOP should be followed when handling all prisoners or other
persons in this facility.
Definitions:
A. Infectious Disease- any of a number of diseases identified in the Maryland Health and
Safety Code as a communicable reportable disease, including, but not limited to Hepatitis
B, Tuberculosis, AIDS, HIV, MRSA, etc..
B. Pocket Mask- a plastic face mask with a one-way valve used to administer
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
C. Glove- latex, nitrile or nylon disposable gloves.
D. Body Fluids- any fluids secreted by the body; the Universal Precautions from CDC
pertain only to certain body fluids, specifically, blood, body fluids with visible blood, and
semen or vaginal secretions; universal precautions do not apply to feces, nasal secretions,
sputum, vomit, sweat, tears, urine, or saliva (except when blood is visible)
E. Exposure- direct contact with body fluids on open cuts, breaks in the skin, or mucous
membranes such as the mouth or eyes
F. Universal Precautions- procedures used by personnel which assumes that any other person
has a contagious or communicable disease that is hazardous or potentially life
threatening.
Policy: It shall be the policy of the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office to provide training and
equipment, as necessary, to ensure the safety of its staff, as it pertains to the prevention of
exposure to infectious diseases, while working in all areas of the department. The Allegany
County Sheriff’s Office and its personnel shall adhere to all Federal and State laws and local
ordinances, legal opinions, and Civil Service regulations pertaining to infectious diseases.
Procedure:
A. Equipment Items
1. All officers will be issued disposable latex gloves that must be carried on their person at
all times when on duty.
2. The department will provide a pocket mask with one-way valve at designated areas
throughout the building, in vehicles and court locations. Officers are responsible for
identifying the location of pocket masks in the event of an emergency.
3. The department will provide proper means for disposing of contaminated materials such
as disposable plastic bags clearly marked for contaminated materials, puncture resistant
containers for securing sharp objects, disposable paper towels and cleaning supplies,
gowns and surgical facemasks, and blood spill kits.
B. Disposable Gloves
1. Disposable gloves will be used in accordance with universal precautions when physically
touching any inmate or other person, or, in the handling of inmate property.
2. Disposable gloves will be worn when cleaning up blood or other body fluids.
3. Disposable gloves should be worn when handling security equipment contaminated by
blood or other body fluids.
4. Disposable gloves should be worn by personnel in any situation where they may be
exposed to blood or other body fluids.
5. Disposable gloves will be worn only once and discarded. Gloves will be removed insideout and placed in a trash can.
6 Personnel should wash their hands as soon as possible after removing gloves.
7. Replacement gloves are readily available and easily accessible.
C. Pocket Masks
1. Pocket masks should be worn by personnel when administering CPR.
2. Pocket masks will be discarded after use and replacement masks will be available in
Administration.
D. Other Protective Items
1. Disposable surgical type face masks should be worn when there is the potential for the
splattering of blood or other body fluids.
2. Disposable or laundered gowns or other protective barriers should be worn or used when
there is a potential for the splattering of blood or other body fluids.
E. Sharp Objects
1. Personnel should handle all sharp objects with extreme caution and should assume that all
sharp objects are infectious.
2. Needles should never be bent, broken, or otherwise tampered with by department
personnel
3. Sharp objects should be placed in a puncture resistant container and clearly marked as
containing sharp objects.
4. If puncture resistant containers are not available, personnel should carefully wrap the
sharp object in paper or cloth, place the wrapped sharp object in an envelope or bag,
and clearly mark the envelope or bag as containing sharp objects.
F. Clean Up Procedures
1. Clothing
2.
3.
4.
5.
a. Uniform clothing and any other clothing that becomes contaminated with blood or
other body fluids should be removed as soon as possible.
b. Heavily contaminated officers’ clothing should be put in a disposable bag for
taking them home.
c. Normal washing using regular detergents in a washing machine will
decontaminate clothing.
d. Normal dry cleaning will decontaminate those uniform items that may be dry
cleaned. In the event that and item is sent for dry cleaning service, it will be
cleared marked that it is contaminated and how it was contaminated.
e. As an added precaution, heavily soiled clothing items should be washed
separately from other wash items.
Equipment
a. Equipment items that are contaminated with blood or body fluids should be
thoroughly cleaned after each use.
b. A solution of 1 part household bleach to 10 parts water is sufficient solution to
decontaminate equipment items.
c. This solution needs to be mixed freshly monthly. Mixed solutions of bleach and
water will lose their potency after 30 days.
d. This solution will not damage equipment items such as weapons, handcuffs, keys,
car seats, etc.
Spills
a. A solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water is sufficient to clean up any spills of
other body fluids. Paper towels should be soaked in the solution and the spill
immediately wiped up, then the bleach solution should be applied to the cleaned
surface for at least 30 minutes. The area should then be wiped or mopped clean.
b. Never pour undiluted household bleach into blood, urine, or other household
fluids.
c. Disposable paper towels should be used as much as possible to clean up blood or
other body fluids. Disposable towels should be discarded in a disposable bag
marked for contaminated items.
d. Mops should be cleaned in the same solution of bleach and water after being used.
Disinfectants used in regular detention center cleaning are sufficient to
decontaminate areas where spills occur if the bleach and water solution is not
available.
e. Disposable gloves should be worn when cleaning any spill of blood or other body
fluids.
f. Gowns and facemasks may also be appropriate if there is a potential for the
splattering of body fluids.
g. Disposable gloves, gowns, and facemasks, if appropriate, should be provided to
inmate workers who are required to clean up any such spills.
Gymnasium
The gymnasium will be cleaned with an approved disinfectant as requested by
Administration or Medical.
General Disinfecting
a. In most circumstances, a 10 to 1 Bleach Solution is sufficient for disinfecting and
killing germs.
b. Other approved disinfectants may also be provided to staff for use.