F. PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT
Purpose: The purpose of this Procedure is to provide officers at SUNY Cobleskill Public Safety Department with policy and procedural guidelines for dealing with possible exposure to bloodborne pathogens. The intent of this Procedure is to assist in limiting exposure and to develop procedures for limiting the possibility of infection should exposure occur.
Background: In January 1992, Section 1910.1030 was added to the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act. This addition covers occupational exposure to blood or other related infectious materials. It is designed to protect employees who may become exposed to “bloodborne pathogens” in the course of their employment. Bloodborne pathogens are defined as 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). Obviously, as individuals who may well be expected to come in contact with human blood in the course of their employment, law enforcement officers are covered by the provision of this act. This addition to OSHA regulations is scheduled to take effect in New York State on June 2, 1992.
Policy: It is the policy of SUNY Cobleskill's Public Safety Department to provide officers with proper equipment and training to reduce their potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens, as well as to offer Hepatitis B vaccines to all officers who incur occupational exposure to possible bloodborne pathogens.
Scope: This Procedure shall apply to the following personnel:
- All Grade 12 Officers
- All Grade 15 Supervisors
- The Director of Pubic Safety
Required Action: Universal precautions will be observed in this Department in order to prevent contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. All blood or other potentially infectious material will be considered contaminated regardless of the perceived status of the source individual. All members of this Department shall adhere to the following specific procedures which are intended to prevent contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials.
Needles and/or Sharps
- Members recovering needles and/or sharps shall not bend, recap, remove, shear, and/or purposely break any such needle and/or sharp.
- All recovered needles and/or sharps shall be immediately placed in specifically designated containers. These containers shall be kept in each public safety vehicle, as well as in the Public Safety Office. These containers will be appropriately labeled and sealed when used.
Work Area Restrictions
- Members shall not eat, drink, apply cosmetics, lip balm, smoke, or handle contact lenses in work areas where there is a reasonable likelihood of exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials.
- Food and beverages are not to be kept in refrigerators, freezers, shelves, cabinets, or on counter tops or bench tops where blood or other potentially infectious materials are present.
- Should a work area, including patrol vehicles, become contaminated by blood or other potentially infectious material members shall clean the contaminated area as soon as possible with a bleach solution. Whenever cleaning a potentially contaminated area, members shall wear appropriate protective equipment.
Handling of Potentially Infectious Materials
- Members shall wear appropriate protective equipment whenever handling potentially infectious materials.
- All items which come into the possession of this Department as either found property or evidence and which are soiled with blood or other potentially infectious material will be stored in sealed, appropriately labeled red plastic bags. These bags will be kept in each patrol vehicle, as well as in the Public Safety Office.
Personal Protective Equipment
- All personal protective equipment used by this Department will be provided without cost to members.
- Personal protective equipment will be worn based on the anticipated exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. This equipment will be considered appropriate only if it does not permit blood or other potentially infectious materials to pass through or reach the members' clothing, skin, eyes, mouth, or other mucous membranes under normal conditions of use and for the duration of time which the protective equipment will be used.
- The following protective equipment will be available in each patrol vehicle and shall be worn whenever exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material is anticipated:
- Gloves
- Polypropylene gown
- Shoe covers
- Surgical mask
- Glasses
- All protective equipment shall be disposed of in the appropriate biohazard disposal bag after use.
- In the event any part of an officer's regular uniform is penetrated by blood, that item shall be removed as soon as feasible, stored in a biohazard bag, and appropriately cleaned by the Department. Under no circumstances will a member take home an article of clothing which has been penetrated by blood.
Hepatitis B Vaccine
- All members who incur an exposure incident will be offered the Hepatitis B vaccine at no cost to them.
- Members who decline the Hepatitis B vaccine will sign a copy of the waiver (Appendix A).
- Members who initially decline the vaccine, but who later wish to have it may then have the vaccine provided at no cost.
Post-ExDosure Evaluation and Follow-Up
- When a member incurs an exposure incident, it should be reported to the Director of Public Safety.
- All members who incur an exposure incident will be offered a post-exposure evaluation and follow-up in accordance with the OSHA Standard. This follow-up will include the following:
- Documentation of the route of exposure and the circumstances related to the incident.
- The identification of the source individual and his/her status if possible. After consent has been obtained, the blood of the source individual will be tested for HIV/HBV infectivity.
- The results of testing of the source individual will be made available to the exposed employee with the exposed employee informed about the applicable laws and regulations concerning disclosure of the identity and infectivity of the source individual.
- Members will be offered the option of having their blood collected for testing of their HIV/HBV serological status. Blood samples will be preserved for 90 days to allow members to decide if the blood shall be tested for HIV serological status.
- Members will be offered post-exposure prophylaxis in accordance with the current recommendations of the United States Public Health Service.
- Members will be given appropriate counseling concerning precautions to take during the period following the exposure incident. They will also be given information on what potential illnesses to be alert for and to report any such illnesses.
- It shall be the responsibility of the Director of Public Safety to assure that the policy outlined herein is effectively carried out.
Interaction with Health Care Professionals
- A written opinion shall be obtained from the health care professional who evaluates members. Written opinions shall be obtained in the following instances:
- When the member is sent to obtain the Hepatitis B vaccine.
- When the member is sent to a health care professional following an exposure incident.
- Health care professionals shall be instructed to limit their opinions to:
- Whether the Hepatitis B vaccine is indicated, if the employee received the vaccine, or if an evaluation following an incident was conducted.
- That the member has been informed of the results of the evaluation.
- That the member has been told about any medical condition resulting from exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials.
Training: Training for all members will be conducted prior to initial assignment of tasks where occupational exposure may occur, as well as yearly retraining. Training for members willinclude:
- The OSHA Standard for Bloodborne Pathogens.
- Epidemiology and symptomatology of bloodborne diseases.
- Modes of transmission of bloodborne pathogens.
- This Procedure.
- Procedures which might cause exposure to blood or other infectious materials.
- Control methods which will be used to control exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials.
- Personal protective equipment available.
- Post-exposure evaluation and follow-up.
- Signs and labels used on this campus.
- Hepatitis B vaccine program.
Recordkeeping: All records required by the OSHA Standard will be maintained by the Office of Human Resources.