Policy Text
Policy
1010Fremont Police Department
Communicable Diseases
1010.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy provides general guidelines to assist in minimizing the risk of department members
contracting and/or spreading communicable diseases.
1010.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Definitions related to this policy include:
Communicable disease - A human disease caused by microorganisms that are present in
and transmissible through human blood, bodily fluid, tissue, or by breathing or coughing. These
diseases commonly include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV), HIV and tuberculosis.
Exposure - When an eye, mouth, mucous membrane or non-intact skin comes into contact with
blood or other potentially infectious materials, or when these substances are injected or infused
under the skin; when an individual is exposed to a person who has a disease that can be passed
through the air by talking, sneezing or coughing (e.g., tuberculosis), or the individual is in an area
that was occupied by such a person. Exposure only includes those instances that occur due to a
member's position at the Fremont Police Department. (See the exposure control plan for further
details to assist in identifying whether an exposure has occurred.)
Universal Precautions - All members are required to observe and practice Universal Precautions,
a system of infection control which assumes that all human blood and certain body fluids are
treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens. The only
exception is if those precautions would interfere with the proper delivery of services and would
create a significant risk to the personal safety of the worker. This practice does not eliminate the
need for other category or disease-specific isolation precautions.
City Designated Occupational Health Care Provider for Medical Evaluation, Testing and
Monitoring of Hazardous Exposures/Communicable Diseases - Kaiser Permanente On-the-
Job Fremont.
1010.2 POLICY
The Fremont Police Department is committed to providing a safe work environment for its
members. We provide members with safety equipment, training and operational policies and
procedures in support of members maintaining a safe work environment. Members should be
aware that they are ultimately responsible for their own health and safety, including full adherence
to safety training, polices and operational procedures.
1010.3 EXPOSURE CONTROL OFFICER
The Chief of Police will assign a person as the Exposure Control Officer (ECO). The ECO shall
develop an exposure control plan that includes:
(a)Exposure-prevention and decontamination procedures.
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Communicable Diseases
(b)Procedures for when and how to obtain medical attention in the event of an exposure
or suspected exposure.
(c)The provision that department members will have no-cost access to the appropriate
personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g., gloves, face masks, eye protection, pocket
masks) for each member's position and risk of exposure.
(d)Evaluation of persons in custody for any exposure risk and measures to separate them
(15 CCR 1051; 15 CCR 1207).
(e)Compliance with all relevant laws or regulations related to communicable diseases,
including:
1.Responding to requests and notifications regarding exposures covered under
the Ryan White law (42 USC § 300ff-133; 42 USC § 300ff-136).
2.Bloodborne pathogen mandates including (8 CCR 5193):
(a)Sharps injury log.
(b)Needleless systems and sharps injury protection.
3.Airborne transmissible disease mandates including (8 CCR 5199):
(a)Engineering and work practice controls related to airborne transmissible
diseases.
(b)Distribution of appropriate personal protective equipment to minimize
exposure to airborne disease.
4.Promptly notifying the county health officer regarding member exposures (Penal
Code § 7510).
5.Establishing procedures to ensure that members request exposure notification
from health facilities when transporting a person that may have a communicable
disease and that the member is notified of any exposure as required by Health
and Safety Code § 1797.188.
6.Informing members of the provisions of Health and Safety Code § 1797.188
(exposure to communicable diseases and notification).
(f)Provisions for acting as the designated officer liaison with health care facilities
regarding communicable disease or condition exposure notification. The designated
officer should coordinate with other department members to fulfill the role when not
available. The designated officer shall ensure that the name, title, and telephone
number of the designated officer is posted on the Department website (Health and
Safety Code § 1797.188).
The ECO should also act as the liaison with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/
OSHA) and may request voluntary compliance inspections. The ECO shall annually review and
update the exposure control plan and review implementation of the plan (8 CCR 5193).
1010.4 EXPOSURE PREVENTION AND MITIGATION
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1010.4.1 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS
All members are expected to use good judgment and follow training and procedures related to
mitigating the risks associated with communicable diseases. This includes, but is not limited to
(8 CCR 5193):
(a)Stocking disposable gloves, antiseptic hand cleanser