4251-6150 - Handling Body Fluids ## Handling Body Fluids
The following guidelines are meant to provide simple and effective precautions against transmission of disease for all persons, including pregnant women, potentially exposed to the blood or body fluids from students or employees with a known disease or those from student or employees without symptoms or with an undiagnosed disease. In all instances care should be taken to protect students from contact with any body fluids. In no case shall a student be asked or required to clean up another person's body fluids.
A. Risk Of Contact With Body Fluids
The body fluids of all persons should be considered to contain potentially infectious agents (germ). The term "body fluids" includes blood, semen, drainage from scrapes and cuts, feces, urine, respiratory secretions (e.g. nasal discharge, and saliva). Contact with body fluids presents a risk of infections with a variety of germs. In general, the risk is dependent on a variety of factors including the type of fluid with which contact is made and the manner in which it is made.
Body fluids with which one may come in contact usually contain many organisms, some of which may cause disease. Furthermore, individuals who have no symptoms of illness may carry many germs. These individuals may be at various stages of infection: incubating disease, mildly infected without symptoms, or chronic carriers of certain infectious agents including AIDS and hepatitis viruses. In fact, transmission of a communicable disease is more likely to occur from contact with infected body fluids of unrecognized carriers than from contact with fluids from recognized individuals because simple precautions are not always carried out.
B. Avoiding Contact With Body Fluids
When possible, direct skin contact with body fluids should be avoided. Disposable gloves shall be available in the office of the principal. Gloves are required when direct hand contact with body fluids is anticipated (e.g., treating bloody noses, handling clothing soiled with incontinence, cleaning small spills by hand). If any contact is made with body fluids, hands should be washed afterwards. Gloves used for this purpose should be put in a plastic bag or lined trash can, secured, and disposed of daily. Every precaution should be taken to assure that other students also avoid contact with any person's body fluids.
C. What To Do If Direct Skin Contact Occurs
In many instances, unanticipated skin contact with body fluids may occur in situations where gloves may not be immediately available In these instances, hands and other affected skin areas of all exposed persons should be routinely washed with soap and water after direct contact has ceased. Clothing and other nondisposable items (e.g., towels used to wipe up body fluids should be placed in plastic bags).
D. Removal Of Body Fluids
Most schools have standard procedures already in place for removing body fluids (e.g., vomitus). These procedures should be reviewed to determine whether appropriate cleaning and disinfection steps have been included. All schools must stock sanitary absorbent agents specifically intended for cleaning body fluid spills.
Disposable gloves shall be worn when using these agents. The dry material is applied to the area, left for a few minutes to absorb fluid, and then vacuumed or swept up. The vacuum bag or sweepings should be disposed of in a plastic bag. Broom and dustpan should be rinsed in disinfectant. No special handling is required for vacuuming equipment.
The Bloodborne Pathogens Plan adopted by the Avery County Board of Education shall be conscientiously followed (Policy 7260 Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens).
E. Hand Washing Procedures
Proper hand washing requires the use of soap and water and vigorous washing under a stream of running water for approximately 30 seconds.
Soap suspends easily removable soil and microorganisms allowing them to be washed off. Running water is necessary to carry away dirt and debris. Rinse under running water. Use paper towels to thoroughly dry hands.
F. Disinfectants
The contaminated surface should first be cleaned with soap and water. Cleaning with an intermediate level disinfectant should follow this initial step. It is recommended (Communicable Disease Control Branch of North Carolina Division of Health Services) that disinfectants be left on the contaminated surface from 2-10 minutes before removal.
Various classes of disinfectants are listed below. Hypochlorite solution (bleach) is preferred for objects that may be put in the mouth.
- Ethyl or isopropyl alcohol (70%). 2. Phenolic germicidal detergent is a one percent (1%) aqueous solution (e.g., Lysol). 3. Sodium Hypochlorite with available chlorine (1/2 cup household bleach in 1 gallon water, needs to be freshly prepared each time it is used). 4. Three percent (3%) Hydrogen Peroxide Solution (should be fresh solution each time it is used).
G. Disinfection Of Hard Surfaces And Care Of Equipment
After removing the soil, a disinfectant is applied. Mops should be soaked in the disinfectant after use and rinsed thoroughly or washed in a hot water cycle before rinse. Disposable cleaning equipment and water should be placed in a toilet or plastic bag as appropriate. Nondisposable cleaning equipment (dustpans, buckets) should be thoroughly rinsed with the disinfectant. The
disinfectant solution should be promptly disposed down the drainpipe. Remove gloves and discard in appropriate receptacles.
H. Disinfection Of Rugs
Apply sanitary absorbent agent, let dry, and vacuum. If necessary, mechanically remove with dustpan and broom, then apply rug shampoo (a germicidal detergent) with a brush and revacuum. Rinse dust pan and broom in disinfectant. If necessary, wash brush with soap and water. Dispose of nonreusable cleaning equipment as noted in Section G.
I. Laundry Instructions For Clothing Soiled With Body Fluids
The most important factor in laundering clothing contaminated in the school setting is elimination of potentially infectious agents by soap and water.
Addition of bleach will further reduce the number of potentially infectious agents. Clothing soaked with body fluids should be washed separately from other items. Presoaking may be required for heavily soiled clothing. Otherwise, wash and dry as usual. If the material is not colorfast, add 1/2 cup of nonchlorine bleach, (e.g., Clorox II, Borateem) to the wash cycle.