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By Greg Garner
Bloodborne pathogens are extremely dangerous viruses carried in blood as well as other bodily tissues. Healthcare workers are particularly at risk when they work with blood samples in a laboratory, do blood work on patients, and clean up blood or body fluid spills. To maintain the safety for health care workers in a clinic or hospital setting there are different safety and first aid kits that can be purchased and used. These supplies and kits must adhere to OSHA rules and regulations. If you purchase these safety kits from a reliable source, you should have no OSHA problems.
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Spill kits and pick up devices and products. These items include towels that are disposable and plastic lined Universal absorbent pads, boom socks, and splash goggles. Included in these kits are gloves and blood waste disposal carriers.
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Personal protection kits for bloodborne pathogens. These personal kits need to contain eye and mouth protection for CPR, scoop bags for safe and fast cleanup of blood spills, a disposable gown and bonnet as well as shoe covers, throw-away towels and biohazards bags with ties.
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Germicidal solutions. Environmental spray solutions are needed to be immediately available to prevent cross-contamination. Most germicidal solutions and wipes protect against staph, salmonella, herpes and HIV as well as hepatitis infections.
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Fluid control solidifiers. These products are designed to solidify blood and other bodily fluids to make clean up and disposal much safer.
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Sharps containers. Every medical clinic is required by OSHA regulations and rules to have sharps containers in every area where bodily fluids and bloodborne pathogens may reside. These containers are specifically designed to protect against needle sticks by providing the proper disposal of syringes that have been used. All these containers are required to have locking tops. It is highly illegal for health care workers to remove any needles from these sharps containers.
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Blood clot powders and first aid kits. It is very necessary to have a powder or other type of a blood clotting product for patients and health care workers. These preparations should have the ability to stop bleeding instantly without waiting for natural clotting. OSHA requires that these products do not burn the skin, but actually clot. These provisions are designed to provide a seal that protects against infections.
Although it can be somewhat disconcerting to work with blood samples, if a clinic or health care worker takes the proper precautions, there should be no contamination. In the event, however of accidental needle sticks or bodily fluid contact, you should have rules and regulations posted in your clinic where to go for help. Bloodborne pathogen safety regulations need to include training on all prevention products and how to safely use these them. Do not leave your health care employees without the proper training on any equipment. Make sure these safety kits and precautionary statements are in plain view of health care workers. It is not a good idea to keep bloodborne pathogen prevention equipment in locked closets or away from the general health care worker population.
About the Author: For more information, please visit our
Bloodborne pathogens
website.
Source:
isnare.com
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