Download Information To Guide The Assessment of Risk of Blood Borne Viruses

Inoculation or Contamination Incidents
Sharps, Bites, Scratches, or Cuts
Following incident, assess the risk of
transmission of blood borne viruses
e.g. HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C
(see guidance at foot of page)
Immediate Action /
First Aid
Infection may be transmitted from infected
patients/clients to staff members, through
inoculation, or contamination by blood or
body fluids.
Is source/patient known/highly
suspected to be HIV Positive?
YES
This can happen in many ways,
examples may be:
NO
Follow route below
Follow route below
Puncture wounds from (e.g. needlestick,
scratch or bite with skin break)
Cuts from dirty instruments or razors,
Are you
Community
staff
Are you
hospital
staff?
Contamination from splashes of blood/
body fluids onto open skin lesions,
conjunctivae or mucous membranes of
eye/nose/mouth
YES
Inform your line manager
who will immediately
contact the nearest
Accident & Emergency
Department, and tell
them that a staff member
will be arriving following
exposure to HIV
Accidental exposure to blood or
body fluid:
First Aid to be followed:Action for Sharps injury/splash/puncture wounds
from needles, scratches or bites
1. Bleed it:
Encourage bleeding -but do not massage the
site. If puncture wound, do not suck it.
Contact the Occupational Health
Department immediately for help
with Risk Assessment & advice
about treatment.
Where possible
staff member to
contact Accident
& Emergency
informing them of
the incident and
that they will be
arriving following
exposure to HIV.
Telephone 023 8047 5236
or 07775 800333
* When Occupational Health
closed go to A & E Department
2. Wash it:
Your local Accident &
Emergency Department is:
Wash the wound / exposed area with soap and
hot running water
Information needed:
Patient's name or origin of source,
DOB, address, GP/Consultant,
diagnosis and treatment if known
Irrigate eyes with water use sterile water if you
have it. (If contact lenses are worn, irrigate eyes,
remove lenses and irrigate eyes again.)
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3. Report it:
Report incident immediately to Occupational
Health and Safety Service or Accident and
Emergency Dept as in flow chart
If staff member has no transport
they should go to A & E, by taxi.
(The Trust will reimburse the fare).
All staff should report the Incident to their Line
Manager as soon as possible and ensure an
Incident form is completed.
Accident & Emergency Department
Following a full risk assessment, advice and treatment will be offered. If source/patient was HIV positive
Antiretroviral Therapy may be offered, (ideally within one hour of incident). Staff who attend A & E,
should inform Occupational Health the next working day to discuss possible follow up treatment.
If source/patient is HIV/Hepatitis B/Hepatitis C
positive, Incident form must be reported
under RIDDOR.
Information To Guide The Assessment
of Risk of Blood Borne Viruses (BBV)
Relevant information to consider:
1 Is the source patient/client known or unknown?
2 If unknown, is there any indication of the origin of device or body fluids? (For example was the device from a ward with patients known
to have hepatitis B or C or HIV?)
3 If known, is the source patient/client known to be infected with hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV? (The validity of results varies depending on
how long ago they were measured and current risk factors.)
4 If the source patient/client is NOT Known to carry any of these infections, do they have any risk factors for them? See Below:
HIV
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
The following may indicate that the
(source) patient/client a higher risk of HIV
The following may indicate a higher risk
of Hepatitis B
The following may indicate a higher risk
of Hepatitis C
Individuals who have been living in an area
of the world with a high prevalence of HIV
e.g. Africa (South/East/Central Africa).
The source patient/client is known to be or
highly suspected to be infected with hepatitis B.
The source patient/client is known to be or
highly suspected to be infected with Hep C.
Intravenous drug users.
Received unscreened blood or untreated
plasma products, in the UK prior to September
1991(blood) and 1985 (plasma products) or has
received blood /plasma products from country
where blood is not tested for hepatitis C virus.
Individuals who may be at risk of HIV
through unsafe sexual activity e.g.
unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse,
unprotected sex with HIV positive partner or
partner who puts themselves at risk because
of their sexual behaviour.
Intravenous drug users.
Blood transfusion before Oct 1985.
Mother HIV positive.
Individuals who may be at risk of hepatitis B
through unsafe sexual activity (e.g. unprotected
vaginal or anal intercourse)
Unprotected sex with hepatitis B positive
partner or partner who puts themselves at risk
because of their sexual behaviour;
People with hepatitis B infected mothers.
People from Africa and Middle / Far East
Blood transfusion abroad.
Reference: www.hpa.org.uk/infectionsaz/bbv
www.riddor.gov.uk
www.needlestickforum.net
www.nhsemployers.org/EmploymentPractice/occupational_health_guidance.asp
Shared equipment whilst misusing drugs.
Source has worked as a health care worker or
has been a patient in invasive medical, surgical,
dental or midwifery procedures in parts of the
world where infection control procedures may
have been inadequate, or with populations with
a prevalence of hepatitis C infection (eg Egypt)