Policy Text
Policy
1016Mountain View Police Department
Mountain View PD Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Mountain View Police
DepartmentCommunicable Diseases - 1Communicable Diseases
1016.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy is intended to provide guidelines for Department personnel to assist in minimizing the
risk of contracting and/or spreading communicable diseases and to minimize the incidence of
illness and injury. The policy will offer direction in achieving the following goals:
•To reduce exposures to bloodborne pathogens (BBP) and other potentially infectious
body fluids
•To assist Department personnel in making decisions concerning the selection, use,
maintenance, limitations, storage, and disposal of personal protective equipment
(PPE)
•To protect the privacy rights of all Department personnel who may be exposed to or
contract a communicable disease during the course of their duties
•To provide appropriate treatment and counseling should an employee be exposed to
a communicable disease
1016.2 PROCEDURES FOR EXPOSURE TO BLOOD, BODILY FLUIDS OR AEROSOL
TRANSMISSIBLE DISEASES
All department personnel who are exposed to another person's blood, bodily fluids or an aerosol
transmissible disease (e.g., during an altercation or while attending to any injured person) shall
follow these procedures and guidelines.
Exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials includes, but is not limited to, the contact
of such substances with the eye, mouth, other mucous membranes, non-intact skin, needle sticks,
human bites, cuts or abrasions or any exposure that otherwise qualifies under Health and Safety
Code § 121060.1 or 8 CCR § 5193.
Exposure to an aerosol transmissible disease is any event in which all of the following have
occurred (8 CCR 5199):
(a)An employee has been exposed to an individual who is a case or a suspected case
of a reportable aerosol transmissible disease, or to a work area or to equipment that
is reasonably expected to contain aerosol transmissible pathogens associated with a
reportable aerosol transmissible disease.
(b)The exposure occurred without the benefit of applicable exposure controls required
by this policy.
(c)It reasonably appears from the circumstances of the exposure that transmission of
disease is sufficiently likely to require medical evaluation.
Mountain View Police Department
Mountain View PD Policy Manual
Communicable Diseases
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Mountain View Police
DepartmentCommunicable Diseases - 21016.2.1 EXPOSURE CONTROL OFFICER
The Police Chief will assign a person as the Department's Exposure Control Officer. The ECO
shall be responsible for the following:
(a)The overall management of the bloodborne pathogen Exposure Control Plan (ECP).
(b)Establishing written procedures and a training program related to aerosol
transmissible diseases, as required by 8 CCR § 5199.
(c)Working with management to develop and administer any additional related policies
and practices necessary to support the effective implementation of this plan.
(d)Remaining current on all legal requirements concerning bloodborne pathogens and
other communicable diseases, as required by 8 CCR § 5193.
(e)Acting as a liaison during OSHA inspections, conducting program audits to maintain
an up-to-date ECP and ensuring exposure report forms are available and adequate
for employees to properly report incidents of exposure.
(f)Maintaining an up-to-date list of police personnel requiring training. Developing
and implementing a training program, maintaining class rosters and quizzes, and
periodically reviewing and updating the training program.
(g)Reviewing and updating the ECP annually (on or before January 1 of each year).
Department supervisors are responsible for exposure control in their respective areas. They shall
work directly with the ECO and any affected employees to ensure that the proper exposure control
procedures are followed.
1016.2.2 UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS
All human blood and body fluids such as saliva, urine, semen, and vaginal secretions are to be
treated as if they are known to be infectious. Where it is not possible to distinguish between body
fluid types, all body fluids are to be assumed potentially infectious.
1016.2.3 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Personal protective equipment is the last line of defense against communicable disease.
Therefore, the following equipment is provided for all personnel to assist in the protection against
such exposures:
•Disposable latex gloves (no less than two pairs). (Recommend keeping a box in the
car.)
•Rescue mask with a one-way valve.
•Biohazard uniform, mask and boots.
•Alcohol (or similar substance) to flush skin at emergency site. (Recommend keeping
several "handiwipes" with alcohol in the car.)
Mountain View Police Department
Mountain View PD Policy Manual
Communicable Diseases
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Mountain View Police
DepartmentCommunicable Diseases - 3The protective equipment is to be kept in each police vehicle; inspected at the start of each shift
and replaced immediately upon returning to the station if used or damaged during the shift, or as
otherwise needed.
1016.2.4 IMMUNIZATIONS
All department personnel who, in the line of duty, may be exposed to or have contact with a
communicable disease shall be offered appropriate treatment immunization.
1016.2.5 WORK PRACTICES
All personnel shall use the appropriate barrier precautions to prevent skin and mucous membrane
exposure whenever contact with blood or