Download Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA)
Standard and Universal
Precautions
OSHA
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Federal regulations related to infection control
and asepsis were developed by the
Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA)
These laws protect health-care workers from
health hazards on the job, particularly from
accidentally acquiring infections and health
hazards patients and any other people who
may come into the medical office
The following must be discarded in a
biohazardous waste container
blood products
 body fluids
 human tissues
 Vaccines
 table paper, linens, towels, and gauze with body
fluids on them
 Used scalpels, needles, sutures with needles
attached, and other sharp instruments
 Used gloves, disposable instruments, cotton swabs,
and disposable applicators
***make reference to table 1-1 on pg. 19
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OSHA laws ensure
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That proper measures are taken to
prevent infection
Provide a margin of safety,
Ensure that a medical facility meets at
least the minimal criteria for asepsis
These laws include: requirements for
training personnel, keeping records,
housekeeping, wearing protective gear
Universal Precautions
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OSHA requires medical professionals to
follow specific “universal blood and
body fluid precautions” as set forth by
the Dept. Of Health and Human
Services Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC)
Universal Precautions apply to:
Blood and blood products
 Human tissue
 Semen and vaginal secretions
 Saliva from dental procedures
 Cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal,
pericardial and amniotic fluids, which bathe various
internal structures in the body
 Other body fluids, if visibly contaminated with blood
or of questionable origin in the body
***Breast milk (not on list) is generally treated as such
because mother can pass HIV to baby
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Standard Precautions
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Hospitals now use Standard
Precautions, which are a combination of
Universal Precautions and rules to
reduce the risk of disease transmission
by means of moist body substances
Standard Precautions apply to:
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Blood
All body fluids, secretions, and
excretions except sweat
Non-itact skin
Mucous membranes
Six Steps of Standard
Precautions
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1. Handwashing
2. Use of appropriate barrier
techniques
3. Cleaning & sanitizing
4. Proper disposal techniques
5. Not sharing personal items
6. Report exposures
IMPORTANT to note:
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Standard Precautions are used in
hospitals
Universal Precautions are used in
medical offices
OSHA divides tasks into 3 categories
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Category I – tasks that expose a worker to
blood, body fluids, or tissues or those that
have a chance of spills or splashes. *These
tasks always require specific protective
measures
Category II – minimal risk of exposure ex.
administering nose drops (hand washing)
Category III – tasks that do not require any
special protection (ex. talking to the patient)
OSHA Procedures for
Postprocedure Cleanup
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Decontaminate work surfaces with bleach
Replace protective covering
Decontaminate receptacles such as bins, pails
and cans on a regular basis
Pick up any broken glass with tongs (never
use a vacuum to pick up broken glass)
Discard all potentially infectious waste
materials in appropriate biohazardous waste
containers
Other OSHA Requirements
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Vaccines free of charge (employee is
permitted to decline the vaccination if
he or she signs a form accepting all the
conditions)
Special requirements in place if worker
infects patient
As a healthcare worker your
job is to EDUCATE patients
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Hand washing
Proper hygiene
Use of tissues when coughing or sneezing
Routinely use disinfectants for cleaning
Eat nutritiously
Keep up with vaccines
Exercise and weight control
Alcohol and drug use and abuse
Stress reduction techniques
This course will give you a
foundation to become whatever
and whoever you want to be in
the healthcare field! Work hard
and enjoy it! You will be
rewarded!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2iCWXyRb5g