Policy Text
\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nSEMINOLE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE NUMBER:
G - 37
GENERAL ORDER
RESCINDS:
SUBJECT: Exposure Control Plan and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
EFFECTIVE: November 14, 1994
REVISED: February 18, 2025
Table of Contents:
I. Policy
II. Scope
III. Definitions
IV. Biohazard Warnings
V. Exposure Risk Determinants
VI. Training
VII. Hepatitis Vaccination Program
VIII. Exposure to Communicable Diseases and Other Hazards
IX. Exposure Reporting
X. General Precautions and Exposure Controls
XI. Personal Protective Equipment
XII. Deployment and Use
XIII. Potential Uses of PPE ensembles in a WMD Incident
XIV. General Housekeeping
XV. Regulated (Biohazard) Waste
XVI. Contaminated Laundry, Uniforms and Personal Clothing
XVII. Personal Protective Equipment Program
XVIII. Recordkeeping
XIX. Equipment
I. POLICY:
Committed to the health and safety of employees, the Sheriff’s Office embraces a universal precautions
philosophy that requires personnel to treat all human blood and certain human body fluids as if infected with
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus, and other blood borne pathogens. The following
procedures are provided to manage potential occupational exposure to hazardous substances and infectious
diseases, and in accordance with OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1030, “Occupational Exposure to Blood Borne
Pathogens.” This Exposure Control Plan (ECP) details our agency’s implementation and compliance assurance
plan to protect our employees and provide a safe and healthy work environment.
II. SCOPE:
A. Employees will need to assess the specific risks of each operation and determine the appropriate PPE
to protect against respiratory and/or dermal hazards. Employees should use the greatest level of
protection available and practical, to carry out the job function at hand. Supervisors are expected to
work in partnership with employees to correct safety shortcomings and deficiencies within their areas
GENERAL ORDER
Exposure Control Plan and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
GO # 37 PAGE 1 OF 21\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nof responsibility. Employees observing safety deficiencies will bring the issue to a supervisor’s
attention.
B. All employees (including volunteers) are provided training and safety information to minimize risk
from exposure to hazardous substances and infectious diseases, and to increase understanding of the
nature of those hazards. The Director of the Human Resources Division (or designee) determines
exposure risk based on job descriptions developed through job task analysis. The Director of the
Inmate Medical Division of the Correctional Facility, given the facility’s daily potential both for
exposure and role in intervention, and the Emergency Management Coordinator, maintain active
involvement in the development, refinement, and implementation of the ECP.
C. The Director of Human Resources and the Captain of the Special Operations Division (or designee)
will review General Order #37, Exposure Control Plan and Personal Protective Equipment, annually;
and direct it to be revised, if necessary, to reflect changes in job assignments involving occupational
exposure, changes in industry standards, or to update procedures designed to eliminate or minimize
occupational exposure.
D. Employees should maintain awareness for possible exposure on all calls for service, and treat all
unknown substances as if they contain hazardous chemicals such as Fentanyl, synthetic opioids, or
other unknown substances.
III. DEFINITIONS:
A. Air Purifying Respirator:
Any full or half-face respirator, designed to work with or without cartridges, capable of filtering out
certain identified contaminants.
B. Biological Agents:
Any living organism, naturally occurring or man-made, that is capable of causing death, disease or
harm to any human, plant or animal. Included in this category are bacteria, viruses and toxins.
C. Chemical Hazards and Toxic Substances:
A substance that is capable of causing death, serious injury or incapacitation through its physiological
effects. Included in this category are asphyxiates, nerve agents, choking agents, blister agents, synthetic
opioids and toxic industrial chemicals. Chemical hazards and toxic substances pose a wide range of
health hazards such as irritation, sensitization, and carcinogenicity and physical hazards such as
flammability, corrosion, and explosibility.
D. Communicable Disease:
An infectious disease capable of being passed to another by contact with an infected person, body
fluids, or infected materials.
E. Decontamination:
The removal or neutralization of chemical and biological hazards from equipment, facilities or persons.
F. Universal Precautions:
Accepted methods of control; engineering-out safety and exposure hazards and proper use of personal
protective equipment to protect employees from injury or illness.
G. Personal Protective Equipment:
Specialized clothing or equipment worn by employees for protection against chemical and biological
hazards; general work clothes (uniforms, etc.) not intended to function as protection against biohazards
are not considered personal protection equipment.
GENERAL ORDER
Exposure Control Plan and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
GO # 37 PAGE 2 OF 21\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nH. IDLH [Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health]:
An atmospheric concentration of any toxic, corrosive or asphyxiate substance that poses an immediate
threat to life or would cause irreversible or delayed adverse health effects.
I. OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration]:
The federal agency regulating workplace safety and health standards.
J. Regulated (Biohazard) Waste:
Liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials; contaminated items that would
release blood or other potentially infectious materials in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed;
items that are caked with dried blood or other potentially infectious materials and are capable of
releasing these materials during handling; contaminated sharps; and pathological and microbiological
wastes containing blood or other potentially infectious materials.
K. Synthetic Opioid:
Opioids are a type of narcotic pain medication that works by binding to opioid receptors. Synthetic
opioids are manufactured in a chemical laboratory with a similar chemical structure to natural opiate
drugs. They can be illicit drugs or legally prescribed to treat pain, or used as anesthesia during surgery.
Examples include Fentanyl or Carfentanil.
IV. BIOHAZARD WARNINGS:
A. Employees at risk of exposure to chemical or biological hazards must be familiar with the warning
labels associated with these materials.
B. Warning labels containing the word "Biohazard" and the biohazard symbol will be fluorescent orange
or orange-red. Warning labels for chemicals are usually black and white and may contain language
such as “Danger” or “Poison.” Additional warning labels such as “Suspected Fentanyl” or “Inhalation
Hazard” are also white and typically have a skull and crossbones symbol. All have symbols and
lettering in a contrasting colors. Labels will be an integral part of the container or affixed in a way that
prevents its loss or unintentional removal.
C. Biohazard or chemical warning labels will be affixed to each container of regulated waste or other
potentially infectious or caustic material, including all biohazard waste containers, refrigerators,
freezers and other containers for biohazardous or caustic materials. Red bags for biohazardous or
chemical material may be substituted for labels.
V. EXPOSURE RISK DETERMINANTS:
A. Job duties creating the expectation of occupational exposure to chemical or biological hazards include
(but are not limited to) the following:
1. Providing first aid,
2. Processing crime scenes/drug labs where chemical or biological hazards are present,
3. Entering an area where the presence of body fluids can be expected,
4. Handling inmates with known/unknown incidences of infectious diseases,
GENERAL ORD