Infection control in the workplace

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Infection control in the workplace

Appendix II

Infection control in the workplace

A.Universal blood and body-fluid precautions

Universal blood and body-fluid precautions (known as “Universal Precautions” or “Standard Precau-

tions”) were originally devised b y the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC) in

1985, largely due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and an urgent need for new strategies to protect hospital per-

sonnel from blood-borne infections. The new approach placed emphasis for the first time on applying

blood and body-fluid precautions universally to all persons regardless of their presumed infectious status.

Universal Precautions are a simple standard of infection control practice to be used in the c are of all

patients at all times to minimize the risk of blood-borne pathogens. Universal Precautions co nsist of:

–careful handling and disposal of sharps ( needles or o ther sharp objects);

–hand-washing b efore and after a procedure;

–use of protective barriers – such as gloves, gowns, masks – for direct c ontact with blood and other

body fluids;

–safe disposal of waste contaminated with body fluids and blood;

–proper disinfection of instruments and other contaminated equipment; and

–proper handling o f soiled linen.

B. Selected guidelines and Universal Precautions on infection control

Bednarsh, H.S.; Eklund, K.J.: “Infection c ontrol: Universal Precautions reconsidered”, in America n Denta l

Hygienists’ Associa tion: Acc ess (Chicago, 1995) Vol. 11, No. 1.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC)/National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention/Divi-

sion of HIV/AIDS Prevention: Pre ventin g occ upa tion a l HIV tra nsmi ssion to hea lth c a re worke rs

(updated June, 1999) .

South African Law Commission: Aspects of the la w rela ting to AIDS (Project No. 85): Universal workplace

infection control measures (Universal Precautions) (1997) .

WHO: WHO guide lin es on AIDS a nd first a id in the workpla ce, WHO AIDS series 7 (Geneva, 1990) .

WHO/UNAIDS/ICN (International Council of Nurses): HIV and the work pla ce a nd Universal Pre cautio ns,

Fact sheets on HIV/AIDS for nurses and midwives (Geneva, 2000) .