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Definition of Terms
Alcohol-based hand rub – An alcohol based preparation designed for application to the hands
for reducing the number of viable microorganisms on the hands. In the United States, such
preparations usually contain 60-90 percent ethonal or isopropanol.
Antimicrobial soap – Soap (i.e. detergent) contains an antiseptic agent.
Antiseptic agent – Antimicrobial substances that are applied to the skin to reduce the number
of microbial flora, examples include alcohols, chlorhexidine, chlorine, hexachlorophene, iodine
chloroxylenol (PCMX), quaternary ammonium compounds, and triclosan.
Antiseptic hand-wash – Washing hands with water, soap and other detergents containing an
antiseptic agent.
Antiseptic hand-rub – Applying an antiseptic hand rub product to all surfaces of the hands to
reduce the number of microorganisms present.
Bloodborne Pathogens – Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can
cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus
(HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Contaminated – The presence or the reasonably anticipated presence of blood or other
potentially materials on an item or surface.
Contaminated Laundry – Laundry which has been soiled with blood or other potentially
infectious materials or may contain sharps.
Contaminated sharps – Any contaminated object that can penetrate the skin including, but not
limited to needle, scalpels, broken glass, broken capillary tubes, and expose ends of dental
wires.
Decontaminated – The use of physical or chemical means to remove, inactive, or destroy blood
borne pathogens on a surface or item to the point where they are no longer capable of
transmitting infectious particles and the surface of items is rendered safe for handling, use or
disposal.
Decontaminate hands – To reduce bacterial counts on hands by performing antiseptic hand rub
or antiseptic hand wash.
Exposure Incident – A specific eye, mouth or other mucous membrane non-intact skin, or
parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that results from the
performance of an employee’s duties.
Hand antisepsis – Refers to either antiseptic hand ash or antiseptic hand rub.
Hand Hygiene – A general term that applies to hand washing, antiseptic hand wash, antiseptic
hand rub or surgical hand antisepsis.
Handwashing – Washing hands with plain (i.e. non antimicrobial) soap and water.
Occupational Exposure – Reasonably anticipated skin, eye, other mucous membrane, or
parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that may result from the
performance of an employee’s duties.
Persistent activity- Defined as the prolonged or extended antimicrobial activity that prevents or
inhibits the proliferation or survival of microorganisms after application of the product. This
activity may be demonstrated by sampling a site several minutes or hours after application and
demonstrating bacterial antimicrobial effectiveness when compared to a baseline level. This
property also has been referred to as “residual activity”
Plain soap – Refers to detergents that do not contain antimicrobial agents or contain low
concentrations of antimicrobial agents that are effective solely as preservatives.
Parenteral – Piercing mucous membranes or the skin barrier through such events as
needlesticks, human bites, cuts or abrasions.
Personal Protective Equipment – Specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee for
protection against a hazard. General work clothes (e.g. uniforms, pants, shirts, blouses, not
intended to function as protection against hazard are not considered to be personal protective
equipment.
Source Individual – Any individual, living or dead whose blood or other potentially infectious
materials may be a source of occupational exposure to the employee.
Sterilized – The use of a physical or chemical procedure to destroy all microbial life including
highly resistant bacterial endospore.
Surgical hand antisepsis – Antisepsis hand wash or antisepsis hand rub performed
preoperatively by surgical personnel to eliminate transient and reduce resident hand flora.
Antisepsis detergent preparations often have persistent antimicrobial activity.
Universal Precautions – An approach to infection control. According to the concept of Universal
Precautions, all human blood and certain human fluids are treaded as if known to be infectious
for HIV, HBV, and other blood borne pathogens.
Visibly soiled hands – Hands showing visible dirt or visibly contaminated with pertinacious
material, blood or other body fluids.
Waterless antiseptic agent – An antiseptic agent that does not require the use of exogenous
water. After applying such an agent, the hands are rubbed together until the agent is dried
Work Practice Controls – Controls that reduce the likelihood of exposure by altering the
manner in which a task is performed (e.g. prohibiting recapping of needles by a two-hand
technique)