Policy Text
INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND EXPOSURE CONTROL
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/01/89 STANDARD NO. 075 REVISED: 07/16/18
REPLACES: SOP Infectious Disease Precautions 09-01.1-5 – Rev. 01/01/03 and Infectious Disease
Exposure 09-02.1-10 – Rev. 06/01/02; Rev. 06/01/05
OBJECTIVE: To provide procedures to limit occupational exposure to personnel coming into
contact with bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infectious body fluids in
compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). This general
guideline is written with the universal precautions for the prevention of the spread
of infectious disease in the work place developed by the Centers for Disease
Control. These guidelines should be followed when handling all persons and all
evidence contaminated with blood or body fluids.
POLICY: This standard operating procedure (SOP), which follows the standards
established by OSHA in order to identify and eliminate infectious material, serves
as the Homestead Police Department (HPD) Infectious Disease Exposure
Control Plan and is distributed to all personnel. It will be reviewed at least
annually and updated as needed. The policy of the HPD is to safeguard, to the
highest degree possible, those employees who have occupational exposure with
infectious disease without sacrificing essential services to the community or
individual citizens.
This SOP has been designed to establish procedures, engineering controls,
personal protective equipment, work practices, and other methods capable of
protecting employees from exposures to bloodborne pathogens, and meets the
requirements contained in the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.
It shall be the policy of HPD to provide training and equipment necessary for the
prevention of occupational exposure to infectious diseases and to ensure the
safety of its officers. The department and its personnel shall adhere to all Federal
and State laws and local ordinances, legal opinions, and Civil Service regulations
pertaining to infectious diseases.
The department advises all personnel that they shall not receive discriminatory
treatment nor bear any stigma if they contract a communicable disease which
becomes known to the department. Legally, a communicable disease is a
handicap under Federal law so discrimination against an infected person is illegal.
SCOPE: All employees of this Department shall be governed by the procedures set forth
below.
I. DEFINITIONS:
A. AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, an infection caused by the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) virus.
Infectious Disease & Exposure Control – SOP# 075
B. BLOOD: Human blood, human blood components, and products made from human
blood.
C. BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS: Microorganisms present in human blood that can cause
disease in human beings. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, the Hepatitis
B Virus (HBV) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
D. BODY FLUIDS (potentially infectious materials):
1. The following human body fluids: amniotic fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid,
pleural fluid, synovial fluid, urine, semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid,
saliva, feces and any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood, and all
bodily fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between
bodily fluids.
2. Any unfixed tissue or organ from a human (living or dead).
E. CLEANUP KITS: These kits are used for cleaning up small amounts of blood and other
bodily fluid spills. They contain latex gloves, congealing powder, scoop, germicidal
cloth, and a biohazard trash bag.
F. CONTAMINATED: The actual or anticipated presence of blood or other potentially
infectious materials on an item or surface.
G. CONTAMINATED LAUNDRY: Laundry soiled with blood or other potentially infectious
materials.
H. CONTAMINATED SHARPS: Any contaminated object that can penetrate the skin, such
as broken glass, knives and needles, etc.